Heavy Metal War: Past Failures
by Centurimon
Summary: An original Tranformers universe fanfiction, based upon characters from Heavy Metal War game. After the Awakening, the Heavy Metal War between Autobots and Decepticons continues to rage without pause and the Autobots face final defeat... Please R&R!
1. Past Failures

Disclaimer: _This fanfiction is based upon original characters created within Heavy Metal War online game. All characters used in this work are property of their respective owners, including the Transformers franchise itself._

**Seibertron**

**The Dead Valley (formerly the Grand Line)**

**1st Vorn (approx. 100 years ago)**

"I hate this, Optimal. I really, really hate this entire idea." Helicon One complained once more as the fembot flew overhead and slightly behind Optimal Retaliation; who was racing along the ruined stretch of highway before him at speeds better suited for a seeker as opposed to a ground-pounder. His engines roared as he tore down the ruined highway surface as fast as he possibly could, weaving his large semi-truck form around potholes and demolished sections of the road wherever possible. Where it was not possible to avoid an obstacle, Optimal Retaliation would simply plow through it like it wasn't there. His more direct and forceful methodology was probably one of his more annoying traits in her opinion, but alas, he was what he was. In any case, it didn't take long for Optimal Retaliation to respond.

"Need I go over this again, Helicon One? The Valley has been abandoned since before the Awakening, and it _is_ the quickest route to our destination." Optimal Retaliation stated simply, continuing on as he had for the previous few cycles. The two Autobots continued on traveling as they had been for a while previously, talking back and forth to one another. Helicon One was expressing her discontent with the mission, and Optimal Retaliation reiterating his intention to complete their mission no matter what. Ultimately, Helicon One got tired of the back-and-forth exchange between her and Optimal Retaliation's backside, so she moved ahead of her ground-pounding friend, swooping down low in front of him, transforming from her helicopter vehicle mode to her robot mode, and watched as he slammed on the brakes and swerved around to the side to avoid ramming into her.

Helicon One was one of the smallest Autobots Optimal Retaliation had ever known, being both slender and short. Having all of her armaments and even her tail rotor internally mounted also helped her slim appearance significantly. But when she was transformed into robot mode as she now was, this little femme suddenly developed a deadly edge. Her body was a mix of dark blue and silver colors, with a laser Vulcan carried in her hands and a twin-tube rocket launcher on each of her forearms. It was an arsenal sufficient to do some damage, and she had the attitude to use what she had too. Her attitude was in fact one of the reasons why Optimal Retaliation had come to enjoy her company so very much these last few deca cycles, but that same attitude also annoyed him at times, like it was doing now. She had planted her hands on her hips and stared at him relentlessly as she spoke. "It's not the Valley that worries me, it's our destination. It takes us dangerously close to Polyhex's main supply lines, thus meaning our probability of being detected increases by a rather large sum."

Optimal Retaliation sighed audibly, then wheeled about to face Helicon One before transforming into robot mode himself. "My dear, the Decepticon front lines are several thousand clicks away from here. According to intelligence reports, the Decepticon attack on the Taragon Lowlands is supposed to resume by the next orn. By now Polyhex has to be nearly empty. This is my only opportunity to get this mission complete with minimal risk." Optimal Retaliation stated simply as he transformed into robot mode and walked a few steps closer to Helicon One. Despite his annoyance at having to stop, he'd humor her need to express her concerns. Heck, he shared most of the concerns she was voicing. But he'd spend mega cycles begging the Council of Primus to let him go out on this mission, and now that they'd finally let him, he was going. He'd let her object to her spark's content, but he _was_ going on to complete this mission. She was probably aware of the fact that he wasn't going to turn back, but was hoping that there was an off chance he'd listen to her and thus it was worth a shot. It was yet another of her admirable yet damned irritating traits. "I'm not a soldier but rather a historian. This is the first chance I've had to _be_ a historian in a long while," He put his hands on her shoulders before asking her a question, "so please, can't you just trust me that this one time nothing will go wrong?"

Helicon One looked at his hands on her shoulders for a moment before locking her gaze with his once again. "Alright Optimal… I'll trust you this time."

**Iacon**

**Autobase Training Grounds**

**Present Orn**

"That is a mistake, Optimal!" Centbot shouted as he ducked under a wild left-handed slice from Optimal Retaliation's sword that had aimed to behead him, but alas, Optimal Retaliation had apparently failed to notice Centbot was falling to the floor in preparation for a sweep kick that would knock the younger Autobot's legs out from under him. As a result, Optimal Retaliation's blade swept through empty air above Centbot's head while his leg lashed out, catching his opponent in the knees and bringing him to the ground face first. Optimal Retaliation, who had been busy remembering the past, hit the ground hard and unprepared, his sword being knocked from his grasp upon contact with the deck, heading off to spin across the floor while Centbot quickly rolled to his feet again and moved away from his opponent to reclaim the quarterstaff he'd dropped earlier. He watched his young friend get up slowly.

"Ow…" Optimal Retaliation mumbled as he walked over to his dropped sword and picked it up while Centbot gave his quarterstaff a few practice twirls in the empty space between the two combatants. When he had his sword back in hand, and had drawn a second from their storage racks in his lower legs, Optimal Retaliation glared at Centbot. "…I should kick you where the energon don't flow for that one." He said menacingly as he began to circle around Centbot, waiting for either an opportunity to attack or for Centbot to attack. For his part, Centbot was walking around in a circle too, from the opposite direction his opponent was walking in so as to maintain a relative distance between them as they circled about one another.

"Hey, it's not my fault you're thinking about the day we met again." Centbot said as he sprung forward, snapping the leading end of his staff above his head then twirling it around before trying to crash it down on top of Optimal Retaliation's head once he was close enough. The sword held in his friend's left hand snapped upwards to block the staff strike, and in response, Optimal brought the sword in his right hand back and stabbed it forwards at Centbot's torso. The elder Autobot replied to that by stepping back, removing his staff from contact with Optimal's sword and allowing him to spin the staff he held to the left and knock away the jab. Not one to be outdone so easily, Optimal advanced again, this time spinning around to the right and slicing at Centbot's defense with his right-handed weapon. The response to that attack was simple, as Centbot spread apart his grip on his staff and blocked the horizontal sword strike with the center of his staff, letting the sword bite into the staff but relieved that the sword did not cleave it in half. "How did you know that?" Optimal Retaliation asked quickly before ripping his sword free of Centbot's staff and advancing again.

Optimal Retaliation's strikes rained down hard and fast upon poor Centbot, but each sword strike was deflected with consummate skill, and the fight clearly seemed to be hitting a stalemate. In between blocking and parrying sword slashes, Cetnbot replied to the question asked of him. "The list of things that could distract you enough to make you commit such a foolish error as the one you made before is quite small. And this is the anniversary of the occasion." After finishing his answer, Centbot stopped speaking with words and spoke instead with action. Optimal had spun around and moved to commit another powerful horizontal slash, this time from the left, and when Centbot moved to block, Optimal revealed his feint and spun around faster, allowing his right handed sword to come crashing down on Centbot's head from above. Centbot managed to block that blow, but doing so left his torso open to attack, and Optimal Retaliation took advantage of this by bashing him in the chest with the blunt edge of his other sword, knocking Centbot back a few paces.

Optimal Retaliation advanced again, opening up with a double jab from both swords, and Centbot spun around to the right, letting both sword strikes pass harmlessly to the side as he swung his quarterstaff across Optimal's cranial unit and then across the back of his knee joints. After the slightly dazed Optimal was dumped onto the deck again regained his wits, he lashed out with his legs, knocking Centbot onto his back. Both Autobots rolled to get onto their feet again. "The ironic thing about it all is that if she were still here, Helicon One would insist it wasn't my fault." Optimal Retaliation stated simply as he stood up again, rapidly advancing on Centbot, who back stepped and moved his shoulders back in sequence to sidestep each of Optimal's repeated slashes.

"But naturally you believe otherwise." Centbot stated, restating Optimal's obvious point as he finally brought up his staff to knock away both of Optimal's blades, then spun his staff about to catch Optimal Retaliation under the chin, the blow lifting his head up high and making him fall back a step or two, but it didn't knock him onto his back. Now it was Centbot's turn to go offensive, and he did so with wild abandon, spinning and thrusting his staff to go after every exposed part of Optimal Retaliation he could see. Several hits landed, but most were deflected by Optimal's blades which we moving about in odd circles trying to keep up with the frantic pace of Centbot's advance.

"Of course I believe otherwise," Tired of getting pummeled, Optimal Retaliation dropped one of his swords, then when Centbot thrusted his staff forwards for another jab, Optimal grabbed the staff with his free hand, holding it and pushing it upwards, "it was my mission, my responsibility." With Centbot's torso now exposed, Optimal flipped his sword over and thrusted it upwards, bashing Centbot's jaw with the hilt of his weapon, and Centbot _did_ fall onto his back. When the Autobot tried to roll to his feet, Optimal gave Centbot a roundhouse kick that sent him sprawling and his quarterstaff flying out of his grasp towards the far wall of the training area they now stood in.

Centbot struggled to his feet, glaring at Optimal Retaliation. "You know, Optimal, I've never really understood your need to punish yourself over the loss of Helicon One. Honestly, the area should have been clear of Decepticon activity. It was not your fault, and you did your best to save her." He stood up, and then waited, not bothering to reclaim his quarterstaff.

"My best wasn't good enough, now was it?" Optimal Retaliation asked as he charged, roaring as he did so. His first strike was a feint, a jab that he pulled back when Centbot tried to grab the blade of his sword. And in so doing, he allowed his other sword to come around and give Centbot a proper bashing across the right side of his face, making him stumble off to the side and spin around. Optimal took the time to repost his swords for a fresh attack, but that turned out to be a mistake, as when Centbot came around to face him again he did so with a roundhouse kick that returned an earlier favor and sent Optimal Retaliation spinning through the air until he hit the ground, one of his swords getting away from him and bouncing over to where Centbot now stood. He kicked the sword into his hand and waited for Optimal Retaliation to stand up again.

"It wasn't good enough to save her, but you weren't the only one tasked with ensuring her safety. And I don't see you blaming me for her death." Centbot said as he ran at Optimal Retaliation who'd just finished standing up. Centbot tried a standard jab, but Optimal Retaliation ducked low and to the right, spinning around and switching his sword from his right to his left hand as he swung, allowing him to slash his weapon across Centbot's torso while Centbot's jab missed wide. For his clever trick, Optimal received an elbow to his face which stood him upright and knocked him back, and then Centbot swung his sword again, resulting in the training area to echo with the ringing of clashing metal.

Again and again sounded the signature ring of metal on metal impacts, swords clashing together as Centbot and Optimal Retaliation once again found themselves locked in a stalemate. "You didn't bring her there, Cent. You weren't responsible for her life."

"As true as that may be, you're still missing the point. You can't blame yourself for every mistake and consequence of your action. Stuff can and will happen, most of it being bad things. You're not the first Autobot to lose somebody under their command you know." Centbot said as he sidestepped a jab from Optimal and tried to sneak in a slice at the other Autobot's head, but Optimal shot his left knee up into Cent's gut, doubling him over and forcing Centbot to drop his sword as he fell onto his knees.

"I know, I know… but I still can't help but feel responsible for it all." Optimal Retaliation said as he back off, letting Centbot get his stolen sword back in hand and stand up. When he did so, Optimal ran at Centbot, sword pointed forwards like a lance. Centbot stood his ground, and when Optimal's blade stabbed forwards, he moved his own sword up to parry the strike, but the blade of Optimal's weapon glowed a scarlet color as a plasma charge built up on the edge of it, allowing it to slice clean through Centbot's defense. The charged weapon paused a mere centimeter from a surprised Centbot's face. The defeated Autobot commander's lips worked for a little while before he managed a reply.

"I always knew you were a cheater at heart, Optimal Retaliation." Centbot said with a chuckle. Optimal Retaliation dropped his blade and deactivated it as he stepped back and bowed.

"Why thank you, I always knew there was a scared little protoform in there somewhere, just waiting to be revealed…" Optimal Retaliation stated jokingly, putting away his sword, then standing up and looking over at Centbot. "So what now, oh fearless leader?"

"I have a meeting with the Council of Primus to attend about our next meeting; however, some new recruits in the team are to arrive soon. I want you to be there to help Accelerate Demon break them into our routines." Centbot stated flatly, holding up a hand to silence Optimal Retaliation before he could protest. "Optimal, I'm well aware that you're not official on my team's roster. But he'll need your help while I'm away, and you need to get over this thing with Helicon One. She's dead, my friend, and she isn't coming back. We need you focused on the present, not the past, understood?"

Optimal Retaliation stood ramrod straight as Centbot's tone became harsher. "Yes sir. I understand perfectly."

The leader of the Autobot Retaliators nodded his head. "Good. You know where the base is, the others are waiting for you. With any luck, I'll be back in about an orn. I'll see you later." Centbot said to Optimal Retaliation before waving good bye and turning to go. But just before he went out the door, he turned back. "Oh, and you don't kill Speed Railer while I'm away. He's annoying… but not _that_ annoying." With that, Centbot turned and was gone, leaving Optimal Retaliation all alone. The Autobot picked up the broken pieces of his sword, walking over to the exit. His thoughts wandered back to the past, to Helicon One, and to his first meeting with the Autobot Retaliators. It seemed so very, very long ago. Actually, one could say it was another lifetime entirely, as his body had to rebuilt after the fight. His thoughts wandered back to the last of his days as a historian, the day when he first became a soldier in the ongoing Heavy Metal War. He just hoped these new recruits wouldn't have to endure the Hell he had to before deciding to fight for the cause…

To be continued…


	2. Time Wounds All

**Iacon**

**En Route to Autobot Retaliator HQ**

**Present Orn**

Optimal Retaliation strolled along the long causeway linking the Autobase with the smaller spires arranged in a circle around it that held the major Autobot combat units and their respective headquarters. There were twelve smaller spires in all, each connected to the Autobase by a kilometer long causeway. Said causeway was a direct route of transportation for Autobots between each location, and the outer spires also were adapted to serve as the last exterior line of defense for the Autobase. A while ago after several waves of Decepticon infiltrations had resulted in the deaths of many Autobots and the theft or destruction of many closely guarded secrets within the Autobase itself, it had been sealed off from direct access from the ground. The only way to access Autobase was either though the air (in which case you'd have to get the base to lower its defense shield and let you in) or by going through one of the smaller spires surrounding it and walking or driving along the causeways. For simplicity's sake, most Autobots chose the latter method.

Granted, the increase in traffic didn't do much for the internal security of the teams who inhabited those spires, but Optimal Retaliation suspected that the Council of Primus had also made this arrangement to remind said teams that while their contributions to the cause were important, it did not truly make them more important to the war effort than any other Autobot. And having hordes of disgruntled, usually damaged, occasionally lifeless Autobots pass through their homes on an hourly basis was a very effective reminder of that fact. The Autobot Retaliators were one of the teams who had become accustomed to the intrusion of other Autobots into their home on a regular basis, something Optimal Retaliation was still getting used to. This was exemplified by his current situation, for as he walked down the causeway, a line of fellow Autobots bumped past him on the crowded walkway. He should have been used to this, but the sheer amount of traffic this last deca cycle was far higher than normal, and not with casualties. He'd recognized leaders from teams on the front line, commanders who'd never have left their posts for even a millisecond unless summoned by the Council of Primus itself. Something big was going down, he could feel it, and thinking over Centbot's last request of him back in the training center, he wondered what could be happening.

Sparing a glance south of Autobase and the causeway he was walking on, Optimal Retaliation gazed silently at The Array. The Array was a group of six massive shockwave cannons, and it had been responsible for protecting Iacon and what was left of the battered Autobots for the last vorn. It seems ridiculous to a degree on the surface, six cannons being able to stop a horde of Decepticon seekers? Had he not been witness to its deadly capability before, he'd think it was impossible, but it wasn't. The Array fired a volley of concussive charges into the air that upon detonation created an atmospheric shockwave sufficient to crumple armor planting and more specifically wings of seekers in flight, grounding them permanently. Denied their Ariel attack advantage, the Decepticons were unable to press their numerical advantages very far, and thus had been unable to capture Iacon or destroy the Autobots. Back in his historian days, Optimal had been very interested in The Array, as like almost all of Iacon itself a vorn ago, it predated the Awakening. Some archeological theories had suggested it was constructed before even the Dark Era.

Part of Optimal Retaliation still longed to go and unravel the mysteries of The Array, especially now when so much of the ancient Iacon was destroyed by Decepticon artillery bombardments. The Array was one of the last surviving hints as to what Seibertron was like before The Awakening, before current Transformer history began to be recorded. It was the clue to unlocking the truth behind the legend of the Matrix. Sighing quietly, he lowered his gaze and dropped to the metal deck plating of the causeway after someone shouted "incoming!" The other Autobots around him did the same, and Optimal Retaliation felt a surge of energy build up in his servos as the Autobase's defensive shield increased power. Streaking across the sky was what at first glance appeared to be meteors, but was really the latest in seemingly endless volleys of Decepticon artillery fire. There were several hundred streaks of light across the skies of Iacon, each of them heading for their assigned targets. When they impacted those streaks of light stopped moving after hitting an invisible wall, exploding with terrible force and with sufficient energy to weaken the building's defensive shields and make it opaque as the shield strained to defend those within it from the impacts. The sound of thunder filled Optimal's auditory sensors, but the sound quickly faded, and the shield became transparent once more after having successfully completed its job.

The Autobots immediately got up and resumed what they were doing before the attack. They knew there would not be a second volley. After a couple vorns of warfare, Autobot defensive shielding technologies rapidly outgrew the Decepticon artillery power, thus rendering them nearly useless. The barrages were shot off at random by the Decepticons, in the vain hope that they'd catch some unlucky Autobots napping and hit something important. Optimal Retaliation's quick glance about the city revealed nothing his optics could discern as burning, and so he was pleased to come to the realization that once more the Decepticons had come up empty-handed. Optimal stopped for a moment, looking up to the top levels of the Autobase, where the three members of the Council of Primus made their homes, and wished Centbot would hurry up and get done with his meeting so that he wouldn't have to deal with Speed Railer for a single solitary moment longer than he had to. He couldn't stand the diminutive Autobot, and if forced to endure him for too long, he might have to break his word to Centbot and kill the little pest at long last. Actually, as he started back off towards the Retaliator's base again, he took a certain sadistic pleasure in imagining Speed Railer suffering in all sorts of ways at his hands...

**Iacon, Autobase**

**Council Chamber of Maximus Prime**

**Present Orn**

Once the shuddering from the bombardment stopped and the alarms cut off, Centbot lifted up the rim of his right optic at Maximus Prime. "Don't you just hate unscheduled interruptions?"

Maximus Prime, for his part, consulted a chronometer before saying anything. "Actually, they're right on time. But you're right, that was a rather rude interruption to our conversation. Where were we?"

Centbot scoffed, then leaned over from the chair he was sitting on to plant the palms of his hands on Maximus Prime's desk. "_You_ were apologizing for calling me old."

Maximus Prime seemed surprised at that. "I was doing no such thing."

"Correct, but you should be apologizing." Centbot muttered as he sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. Maximus Prime just sighed at Centbot's reaction to his words. He found himself devoutly wishing that Centbot was capable of doing anything without drama being attached to it somehow, but if that were so then he wouldn't be the Centbot of such infamy that he was now. And the fact of the matter was that Centbot _was_ old, just like him and the other two members of the Council of Primus were. The difference between them was that Centbot was never happy unless he was doing something to fight for the cause, whereas Maximus Prime being the leader of all Autobots had a responsibility to look after _all_ Autobots, even old firebrands like this one. Maximus Prime stood up and walked over to a window that gave an impressive view of Iacon.

"What do you want me to say Cent? I mean, honestly… you aren't exactly young, and your own team medic's repair logs show you returning from missions with increasing amounts of damage. Levels of damage, I remind you that have consistently grown for the last vorn. And now you come here and ask me to send you off on what could probably be the more dangerous mission that could ever be assigned to any Autobot, without proper backup, and expect me to praise your brilliance?" Maximus Prime's tone clearly dripped with sarcasm.

"It's worked before Maximus. Come on… you're not still blaming me for the Highland incidents are you?"

Maximus Prime wasn't even thinking about that to be honest, but now that Centbot had brought it up Maximus realized it was the perfect example as he turned to face Cent and leaned his back against the window. "Cent, those highlands are now very _flat_lands."

Centbot shot up out of his chair to protest. "I was in a one-on-one fight with that gun-toting Freak _Gore_!"

"That's right, and oh so brilliantly you decided to use the highland support structures for cover."

"How was I supposed to predict he'd use his plasma cannons on them all?"

"Gee, I don't know, you'd think after he used 'em on the first hundred of the things you'd notice a pattern." Maximus Prime said with his rolling optics accompanied by a voice oozing sarcasm.

Centbot had been put on the ropes with that one, so he tried to defend himself with an undisputed fact. Sadly, that was playing right into Maximus Prime's hands. "I got the mission completed didn't I?"

"Yes you did. And a deca cycle later after they finished putting the pieces of you back together again, you went right back out into the field."

Centbot flinched at that memory, realizing he'd walked right into that one. Suddenly feeling very deflated, Centbot sat back down in his seat again, his optics seeming to darken. It took him a cycle before he spoke again. "I'm not that old, Prime."

Maximus Prime moved off the wall and sat down in his seat again, staring at Centbot, the two Autobots locking optics. "You are that old, Centbot, and you know it. More than a third of your team's part requests are for _you_. One Autobot in a five 'Bot team takes up a third of the parts?" Maximus Prime leaned back in his own chair. "I'm sorry Cent, but if you're unwilling to take the extra help with you, then I'll just give this mission to someone else."

The old fire blazed again, and Centbot's optics lit up after Maximus Prime said his last words. "You wouldn't."

"Correction," Maximus Prime said as he leaned over his own desk to bring his gaze to lock onto Centbot's and hovered it a mere few centimeters in front of his face, "I don't _want_ to do this, Cent. However, don't think for an astrosecond that I won't. I'm not risking your safety and the safety of your team because you want to believe you're still as great as you were in the old days." Maximus Prime leaned back after Centbot's gaze dropped to the deck. From the way he was slumping in his chair, Maximus Prime knew he'd finally driven his point home. There was some regret on his part for forcing such a proud Autobot to admit his age, but he had no choice. The mission was vital, Centbot was the best Autobot to carry out the mission, and the Council wanted to make _sure_ Centbot would get it done and come home in one piece.

Centbot's head slowly rose up from the deck and his gaze locked itself on the wall behind Maximus Prime's head. "Funny, isn't it? You'd sit there and shove something down my throat that you claim is in my best interests, yet you'll say that subtracting the deadbeats from our society is something you will not do, despite the fact that it is for the greater good." Maximus Prime didn't say anything, and the silence continued until Centbot nodded his head, whipped around on his left heel, and walked out the door of Maximus Prime's office.

After Centbot had left, Maximus Prime just sat in his chair, rocking it side-to-side, thinking over what Centbot had said to him. Eventually, he turned his head to address his door. "I can only change what I have the power to influence." He mumbled regretfully to the empty space he addressed.

**Iacon, Autobase**

**Central Communication Chamber**

**Present Orn**

Centbot was feeling rather dejected at the moment, he was never the most social Autobot. Prideful, boastful… Centbot took great pride and stock in saying that _he_ had accomplished something. Asking and receiving help was always uncomfortable for him, even from his friends. He measured his own self-worth based upon what he himself could accomplish, and what he'd just had to put up with could be described as the most through decimation of his pride he'd ever endured. It was like insulting every accomplishment Centbot had ever done, and while Centbot knew such was not Maximus Prime's intent, it sure as heck still hurt quite a bit. Even worse is that he was being force-fed this 'help', and he hated being commanded to do most anything as if he never had a say in the matter. Sighing, he got himself composed before opening a communication line with Accelerate Demon at the base.

Centbot's personal feelings were something to be dealt with privately, and had no place being discussed in public. He was an Autobot who had his orders, which meant he had work to do, work that was expected to be done whether he liked it or not. It took a few moments, but eventually Accelerate Demon's face to appear on the vidscreen, but when it did, Centbot immediately was on guard. Accelerate Demon was agitated about something. "Centbot! Thank Primus, I was about to call you in the Council Chambers, court-martials be damned." Centbot's second in command said rapidly, and with shock combined with a hint of worry mixed into his tone.

"What's going on down there? Is Optimal Retaliation trying to cut Speed Railer in two again?" Centbot was tired and in a foul mood, thus this was not a good time for the usual team bickering between those two.

"No sir, this is something, far, far more worrisome." Accelerate Demon was clearly worried about whatever this thing was, and before Centbot could say anything else, Accelerate Demon stepped away from the screen, allowing Centbot to see behind him. There was a gathering of Autobots, the same Autobots Centbot assumed were sent to his team by the Council of Primus, but the female Autobot closest to the camera immediately stirred a memory in Centbot, a memory that made his lower jaw drop wide open once he recalled it. "Correct me if I'm wrong on this one Centbot, but isn't Helicon One supposed to be _dead_?"

To be continued…


	3. Crossing the Line

**Iacon, Autobase**

**Central Communications Hub**

**Present Orn**

"She's supposed to be, yes… but apparently she is not." Centbot said in shock as Accelerate Demon once again filled the view screen, his face showing concern. The Transformers had done many incredible things and the old records and myths told of even more incredible feats… but resurrection wasn't something any Transformer believed in. Centbot, however, couldn't think of any other reason for Helicon One's presence at the base. He'd been there; he'd seen her battered and hauled body. He knew her spark had been extinguished. He looked at his second in command. "You sure it is Helicon One?"

Accelerate Demon nodded his head. "Centbot, I'm positive. We ran a spectral analysis… there was some oddities, but it _is_ her spark in that chassis. The fembot standing behind me is a walking corpse; for lack of a better term anyway."

Centbot took the information in stride. This matter had never been dealt with in all of Autobot history as far as he knew, and he certainly had never dealt with it before. Nor had any of the rest of his… his attention snapped back to Accelerate Demon once again. "Is Optimal there yet?" Centbot asked quickly, his energon storage cells quickly locking up with worry. Seeing Helicon One now couldn't do Optimal Retaliation's mental state any good.

"That's why I called you, Centbot. He's not here yet, and so I wanted to know what we're going to do with her, let alone him."

"You sound like your worried they aren't going to like seeing one another again."

"The thought did occur to me, Cent. I mean, they didn't exactly part on the best of terms."

Centbot thought that over for a moment. It was true that the two Autobots had not parted ways on the best of terms. But this was far too sticky of a situation to make any safe bets on. They could end up resenting each other, they could be happy to see one another. There was no way to tell what their reaction to one another will be, and that is what worried Centbot the most. He was glad she was alive and all… but boy talk about a shock…

"Cent, hello? I kinda need some help here. Optimal's going to get here relatively soon, and you know these kinds of things better than I do." Accelerate Demon said, more nervous than ever if the tone of his voice was any indication. Centbot returned his attention to the screen after a few more astroseconds of pondering what he was going to do.

"My friend… we're going to have to handle this _very_ delicately. Take Helicon One out of there, into the meeting chambers; keep her there until I can talk to her."

"And what about Optimal Retaliation, Cent?"

Centbot shrugged. "If you value your continued existence, keep him busy with the new recruits, and out of that room. I'll be there as soon as possible."

"Right." Accelerate Demon said as he cut the connection. Afterwards, Centbot turned off the terminal, ran out of the Autobase, then when he got onto one of the causeways he transformed into vehicle mode, and raced for home. Thankfully traffic was light at the moment…

**Iacon, Autobot Retaliator HQ**

**Assembly Room**

**Present Orn**

Soon after he had cut the comm. line with Centbot, Accelerate Demon turned to face Helicon One, who was looking away and chatting with the other new recruits. A cursory glace at the group revealed them to be a motley bunch, but then again, they brought some much-needed elements to the team. Helicon One herself was a flight-capable Autobot, like Audited Racer and Aeroscream. However, unlike the other two who were rather small, Audited Racer was a large and rather intimidating Autobot, being capable of carrying up to four Autobots inside of himself necessitated that. And speaking of small, there was the case of their new sniper, Minicannoner, whose name befitted his stature. Minicannoner barely came up to Accelerate Demon's hips, and he barely hit 6 meters. Still, from the reports, Minicannoner's sniping ability was almost peerless so Accelerate Demon withheld judgment on the little guy for now. The last one, Auto Ticketer, was an SUV-like Autobot, rumored to be quite adept at urban combat to a phenomenal degree. All-in-all if they lived up to their billing, they'd make formidable additions to the Autobot Retaliators. Well, all of them except for Helicon One that is. Her apparent return from the dead made him uneasy for reasons he didn't entirely comprehend.

In either case, he had to get her to where she wouldn't be seen by Optimal Retaliation immediately. Just as he was about to move over to her, the far door of the assembly room opened and Speed Railer walked in. "Hiya, gentle – and lady- bots, nice to see ya. Name's Speed Railer, the slickest Autobot around these parts that you'll ever meet. How's it going?"

Accelerate Demon smiled at Speed Railer's interruption. He'd been worried about leaving these new people alone in the base without a guide, but it seemed today were Speed Railer's unlucky day. He cleared his vocalizers before bellowing Speed Railer's name across the large room, an action which prompted the attention of all within the room to turn to him, including Speed Railer, who flinched as his name was bellowed. Predictably, Speed Railer slumped and reluctantly shuffled his way in front of Accelerate Demon. "What'd I do this time? I just walked in the door." He whined innocently.

"You didn't do anything, Railer. I just need you to keep these Autobots entertained until Optimal Retaliation gets here." Accelerate Demon said in a reassuring tone of voice, placing a hand on the young Autobot's shoulder.

"_What?_" Was the sound of the high-pitched and slightly terrified squeal that emerged out of Speed Railer's vocalizers. He looked up at Accelerate Demon pleadingly. "Accelerate Demon, come on… you know what'll happen when he's put into the same room with me!"

"Indeed I do. You say something stupid, he tells you to shut up, you then shut up and wander off to do something stupid again, at which point he begins removing your limbs and beating you over the head with them." Accelerate Demon said with a slight smirk.

"Hey, I'm not all that annoying. And I certainly don't deserve to be assaulted!"

Accelerate Demon crossed his arms. "Yes you do, on both counts."

Speed Railer looked shocked that Accelerate Demon would say such a thing, then he dropped to his knees and began to grovel. "Come on, my old buddy, my pal. Don't make me face him again. I'll not play a single practical joke on you for an entire deca cycle if you let me go."

"Speed Railer, mind if I give you some free advice?" Accelerate Demon asked quietly.

"Sure."

Accelerate Demon's arms unfolded from his torso and grabbed Speed Railer by the shoulders, hauling him up so he could look the younger Autobot in the eye. "When Optimal Retaliation gets here, I suggest you act like you're mute." He said simply as he let go of his teammate and walked off, gesturing for Helicon One to follow him, which she did. Watching the retreating backside of Accelerate Demon, Speed Railer gave his back an obscene gesture, then turned to his new teammates and did as he was told to do.

**Iacon, Autobot Retaliator HQ**

**Assembly Room**

**Some Time Later**

Optimal Retaliation had walked into the Assembly Room and seen it. He could feel it before he ever entered the room in the first place, the feeling of innocents suffering a grave injustice. He knew it because he himself had suffered the same injustice so many times in the past he could smell it coming a kilometer away. He also knew its precise source, a single, solitary Autobot that was harassing a small group of other Autobots. Every servo and gear in Optimal Retaliation's body was tensed, ready to lash out in righteous fury, and as he advanced on his target and the other Autobots sensed his approach and smartly backed off, Optimal envisioned the pleasure exercising his wrath would bring him, even if it was only for a fleeting moment. Finally his prey sensed his peril and turned around, prompting Optimal Retaliation to grin internally as he pulled back his fist…

"Oh no…" Speed Railer muttered as Optimal Retaliation's fist found its mark and imprinted itself in his face, sending him sprawling into the nearest wall. He hit the wall and rebounded off of it hard, stammering about so off-balance that he would fall any moment now. "Night…." He said after giving an almost drunken wave to the assembled group and crumpled to the deck, KOed in every sense of the term. Optimal Retaliation straightened up and turned to the others, one of whom came up to him and took Optimal's left hand in both of his own and muttered "thank you!"

Optimal Retaliation smiled and nodded his head at each of his fellow Autobots in turn as they expressed similar sentiments of gratitude. He smiled at each of them in turn, telling them that he's shared their pain in the past and that it really was his pleasure to get Speed Railer to stop yammering. He greeted them all in turn, sharing their joy and relief until the door that Optimal had just come through opened again, and Centbot entered the room. Optimal turned to his longtime friend and waved. However, Centbot offhandedly returned the wave, headed directly for another door that lead deeper into the heart of the complex, then exited the room as swiftly as he had entered it. Audited Racer tapped him on the shoulder, and Optimal turned to address the only Autobot on the team who was physically taller and bigger than he was. "That was Centbot, wasn't it? What was that all about?"

Optimal Retaliation offered up a simple shrug. "I only wish I knew. But, I'm sure he will be back soon, so in the meantime, let me tell you a bit about the team you'll be joining, eh?"

**Iacon, Autobot Retaliator HQ**

**Retaliator Meeting Chambers**

**Present Orn**

Helicon One had been waiting in the Meeting Chambers for a good number of cycles before Centbot entered the room, looking very perplexed. For her part, she wasn't the slightest bit perplexed about it. She knew that they had thought her dead all this time since that day outside Polyhex, and she'd expected them to ask many questions of her. She had, after all, specifically requested this assignment. Still, she had hoped to meet Optimal Retaliation, to see if he was truly alive before all the questions started coming at her. Since that was apparently not going to happen as suggested by Centbot's presence in the room, she'd just have to deal with it. She nodded her head to Centbot once he met her gaze, smiling at him. "It's nice to see you again, Centbot."

Her words stopped him dead in his tracks, and he took a moment to stare at her before saying anything. "It… really and truly is you, Helicon One."

She laughed lightly. "Of course it is me. You already knew that before you came in here. And obviously you're wondering how I'm not dead even though you left me behind."

Centbot tensed at her last accusation. "I leave nobody behind, Helicon One. You _were_ dead."

Helicon One knocking on her own breastplate with her fists, filling the room with the noise from repeated gentle metal on metal ringing impacts. After a few cycles she stopped, then stood up and walked around to the other end of the chambers. "Now how could I be dead Centbot? In case your optics are malfunctioning, I'm standing right in front of you."

"I said you _were_ dead!" Centbot snapped out before he could restrain himself, a reaction which amused Helicon One for a bit as he brought himself back under control. "But apparently, that is no longer the case."

Helicon One leaned on her end of the table towards Centbot. "I don't blame you for leaving me behind, Cent. I really don't blame you. If I did, I wouldn't have requested a transfer to your team."

"And what of Optimal Retaliation?" Centbot asked out of the blue, a question which made Helicon One stand up straight, wrapping her arms around herself almost protectively. A rather curious reaction, but Centbot ignored it for the moment.

"What about Optimal, Cent?" Helicon One asked him quietly, he voice seeming to shake, almost like she was trying to restrain herself from saying something else, another oddity Centbot committed to memory to deal with later as right now he had something more important to deal with.

"Do you blame him for what happened? He was the one who convinced you go out there in the first place." Centbot stated simply, eying her warily, eager to see her reaction. Her arms tightened around her chest ever so slightly and her mouth tightened, suggesting she was biting back a rather sharp reply. Eventually, however, she did manage a response.

"I don't blame him for what happened to me. But uhh… he's still… alive?" Helicon One asked innocently, a touch of concern oh so cleverly imbedded into her voice.

Centbot nodded, then took a seat, gratified when Helicon One followed suit. "Yes, he's still alive… and blaming himself for your supposed death."

"Well it wasn't his fault, as I'm sure you've told him many times, and I am so relieved he's still alive." The fembot stated, yet her expression suggested otherwise.

"I have indeed, but you know how stubborn he is. So… I guess the obvious question is how did you manage to survive? The closest CR chamber would have been in Polyhex."

Helicon One laughed out loud. "I didn't go anywhere near Polyhex. And you were wrong about the nearest CR Chamber. There were a few left in Agorahex."

Centbot was shocked to hear her say that. No Transformer dared venture into that accursed place, the radiation levels ensured destruction to the laser cores of any Seibertronian in the region. Her getting out of there intact while in prime condition would be a miracle. Getting out while so close to death should have been impossible. Helicon One was now observing his reactions closely, and knowing what he was thinking, she continued. "You're thinking my surviving the radiation would be impossible, but I didn't venture very far into the city. I know, going in there was a crazy thing to do, but people do crazy things when they're dying."

"Apparently so." Centbot muttered, but Helicon One didn't hear him and so just went right on talking.

"When I got into the outskirts of Agorahex, I found an old abandoned research station. It must have been for energon radiation research because the facility was littered with thick radiation shielding. Anyway, it was there that I found an operational CR Chamber, which I used to repair myself enough to travel, at which point I got out of the city and headed for the Lowlands."

"Only to find they were in the midst of a surprise Decepticon assault." Centbot said quietly, and Helicon One nodded.

"It would seem Optimal and I was not the only ones fate decided to harm that day. With the Lowlands on fire I had to go elsewhere, so I tried to backtrack to Iacon, but ended up collapsing before getting very far. When I woke up, I was in Iacon with some Autobot team I've long since forgotten. I came back to fighting in the front lines again, and I've been a normal Autobot ever since."

Centbot pondered over that for a few moments. The story was highly implausible, yet it wasn't completely impossible. The outskirts of Agorahex were some of the most damaged areas, but its suburbs were left relatively intact as far as medical facilities were concerned. The Decepticon attack ransacked mostly technological research centers or the center of the city. She could have found a place they hadn't ransacked yet, and the attack on the Lowlands was chaos incarnate for all parties concerned. Helicon One could have simply passed through the cracks, but he still felt uneasy about this. Most especially about why she never tried to get in contact with Optimal.

"I wanted to, you know." The fembot stated quietly, interrupting Centbot's thinking.

"Hmm?"

"I wanted to get in touch with Optimal Retaliation. Many times."

"So then why didn't you?"

"What was I supposed to say? Hello Optimal Retaliation. You nearly got me killed, but I forgive you and oh, yeah, I'm alive after you left me behind so you don't have to feel guilty about that anymore either?"

Centbot shook his head. "It doesn't matter what you said. You still could have said _something_." He said forcefully as he stood up, gesturing for her to remain seated.

"Where are you going?" Helicon One asked innocently, and Centbot debated whether or not to tell her the truth. Something wasn't right with her, Centbot was sure of that. But what he didn't know was if it was because she wasn't who she appeared to be, or because of the trauma she had lived through. Only time would tell him, and for right now, he was going to err on the side of caution.

"I have to go on a mission, Helicon One. For now, I want you to remain here until I can sort out what I'm going to do with you." Centbot said as he bowed to her, then exited the room without another word. Not at all miffed by the somewhat rude departure, Helicon One simply moved to a nearby computer terminal…

**Iacon, Autobot Retaliator HQ**

**Ground Level Hangar**

**The Next Orn**

Optimal Retaliation had to admit, the newbie's in the team impressed him somewhat. Though Audited Racer and Minicannoner seemed to have sparked a fierce rivalry between them which brought a smirk to Optimal Retaliation's faceplate every time he saw the two of them go at it. Here was Audited Racer arguing and gestured right alongside an Autobot he just step on… it was funny as far as he was concerned. "If that smirk is on your face for the reason I think it is, then I'm about to rip off your faceplate." Speed Railer grumbled as he walked past Optimal's right side, then turned around to face the larger Autobot. Clearly, the little Autobot was upset about the discipline that had been enforced the night previously. For his part, Optimal just continued to look right over Speed Railer's head.

All around them, the members of the Autobot Retaliators busied themselves with gathering supplies and running diagnostics on themselves and their equipment for the mission they had been preparing for all this long while. Each of them had been contacted separately about their mission, and each of them knew what they had to do, this was just their opportunity to meet and get to know one another before they rode off into battle. Retaliatory Aider, as always, was busy with diagnostic scans. He rarely talked anyway, finding his teammate's tendency to ignore his medical suggestions quite irritating. Accelerate Demon, meanwhile, was in his motorcycle vehicle mode, lapping the hangar and making sure he was as maneuverable as he should be. After a while when Speed Railer got tired of glaring at Optimal Retaliation, he wandered off and began chatting with Auto Ticker and Auto Speeddemon, both of whom subsequently tried to find somewhere else to be.

Optimal Retaliation sighed, checking over his own equipment. Internal diagnostic programs swore all internal circuitry and system were operating at their prime, and his newly rebuilt laser blade shined brilliantly next to his older, less gleaming blade. He pulled his double-barreled plasma shell shotgun from a holster on his back, and confirmed that it was working properly. He quickly put his weapon back in its holster, just as Centbot came around from behind him and off to his left side.

"You know, I never understood why you turks loaded yourselves with such fancy weaponry." Centbot stated simply as he pulled his twin belt-fed plasma shell machineguns forward, checked the feeder, snapped them back to ensure they worked right, twirled them around on his fingers, then dropped them perfectly into their holsters on his legs. He looked up at Optimal Retaliation and grinned before wandering off into the midst of the group, slapping his hands together to get their attention.

"Alright, Retaliators, listen up! You know why we're here, but you don't know why we're heading into Polyhex. For a long time now, we've reveled in the weakness of our Decepticon foes, their infighting, and their inability to organize and coordinate attacks. We've been using that to our advantage, and it has been the only thing keeping us Autobots alive. But now, it appears that we've lost our advantage. Intelligence reports indicate that the Decepticons are attempting to form an alliance, headed up by something called the Tripedicus Council. Its goals are two simple things: uniting the Decepticon Alliance under one banner, and wiping _us_ off the face of Seibertron." Centbot paused for a moment to let that thought sink in. "As you know, this city will _not_ withstand an assault by the combined forces of the Decepticons. They outnumber us by a margin of about 100-to-1. Not very good odds. Thus, our mission is to break the siege lines around Iacon, ride for Polyhex; discern if there is any truth behind this Tripedicus Council, and if it does exist… destroy it. Any questions?" Centbot asked, looking around at his Autobots, and saw Audited Racer's hand go up.

"Yes?"

"What happened to that fembot that transferred over to this unit with us earlier?" Audited Racer asked, and his question apparently reminded the rest of them about their seemingly missing comrade. Centbot and Accelerate Demon exchanged glances.

"She has to stay behind, sadly. This mission will have to be completed without her help, I'm afraid."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… hold up here." Aeroscream asked as he interrupted to make a very important point. "Without her, we've only got Audited Racer and me for air support. And since Audited Racer is needed to cover Optimal Retaliation during the breakout, I alone cannot handle their entire seeker force out there."

Centbot laughed. "I've already made arrangements to help us out in that effort, Aeroscream."

"What do you mean?" Optimal Retaliation asked, curious.

"He means us." A new voice said from behind the assemblage of Retaliators, all of whom turned to face the new arrivals. Optimal Retaliation knew the voice well, it was his old friend and leader of the Slagmakers, Armourhide. He smirked. "How the slagging heck did you develop enough of a spine to rush into a suicidal charge against what constitutes the entire Decepticon military?" Optimal asked his old friend.

"I've always had what you lacked, Optimal Retaliation." Armourhide said with a grin as Sharpwing stepped forward, his Assaultbots near him.

"And besides," Sharpwing added, "it's nice to know the overly vaunted Autobot Retaliators can't do everything by themselves. And we're more than willing to lend you our expert services to compensate for your abilities."

Centbot laughed uproariously. "Anyone ever tell you two you talk too much?"

Armourhide and Sharpwing looked at one another for a moment, then back at Centbot. "That's news to me." Sharpwing stated.

"Indeed." Armourhide added.

Centbot turned back to Optimal Retaliation again. "So, my young friend. Has your question been answered?"

"Yes sir, completely. When do we go?" Optimal asked.

"Right now." Centbot said, nodding to his two counterparts who turned to their own respective teams and shouted out in unison: "Autobots; transform and roll out!"

There was a flurry of activity as several dozen Autobots moved and transformed in unison. Optimal Retaliation and Audited Racer transformed into their vehicle modes, Audited Racer folding down his rear access ramp and Optimal Retaliation opening the ramp of his trailer in order to permit their passengers to enter and ride inside of them. The Slagmakers and the Assaultbots all transformed, and as one large column of rolling tired and roaring thrusters, the Autobots headed out of the hangar and made their way towards the Decepticon siege lines surrounding Iacon.

**Outskirts of Iacon**

**Decepticon Line Station Alpha 15**

**Present Orn**

Colt Bear stood watch over the burning wreckage of his outpost, cursing the forces of the damned tyrant of a Decepticon Chevkov. Just because he and his team were Autobot defectors didn't give them the right to attack their station periodically. He was positive his team was superior than the weaklings he'd left behind, but still, it was nice to have some cover to hide behind when the shooting started. Instead, all he and his 'Cons had was a series of burned out craters to hide in. One of these days, he vowed, one of these days he'd become a powerful Decepticon and make both his former Autobot colleagues and his newfound Decepticon brethren respect his might.

Then, however, he noticed the approach of a billowing cloud of dust on the horizon…

**Outskirts of Iacon**

**Approaching Decepticon Line Station Alpha 15**

**Fight Time (heh)**

"I've gotta hand it to you, Centbot, you know how to pick your targets. There's nowhere for them to run." Sharpwing commented offhandedly as he flew overhead of the Autobot formation, scouting out the Decepticon positions. "Sadly though, they've only got five flyers for me to play with."

"Would you rather be a ground-pounder? We'd gladly trade our seven targets for your five." Armourhide asked Sharpwing jokingly, and so the airborne Autobot just ignored the question. Then he noticed a shift in the Decepticon's behavior, they began to scatter and move around randomly. The Autobots were spotted.

"Head's up Centbot, we've been spotted. It is time to run the gauntlet."

"Understood, Sharpwing. Optimal, Racer, hit the juice, I don't intend to be gone from here for very long."

Centbot, who was riding with Audited Racer, felt himself be pulled back as the power of Audited Racer's thrusters increased and he began to gain altitude alongside Night Glide, Lazerbeak, Dark Storm, Mach-Breaker, Mach-Alert, Sonic Echo, Furysurge, and Sharpwing himself. "Cent, it's been fun, but if you'll excuse me I have a line to smash." Armourhide said as he pulled of Optimal Retaliation on the ground and moved forward along with the rest of the Autobot forces in the Slagmaker and Assaultbot teams. The Decepticon seekers took to the air as well, and Centbot was about to feel very good about their odds of breaking the Decepticon lines when he noticed several more Decepticon energy signatures approaching their position. He didn't know who they were yet, but either way, it wasn't a good thing. It was all out of his hands now, which in its own way was kind of infuriating.

Colt Bear watched as Coco Bear, Jeckyl Bear, Brutal Murder Bear, Fitz Bear, and Dark Vibe Bear all took to the air and moved to engage the approaching Autobots. The thought that he was vastly outnumbered had occurred to him, and so he'd sent out a request for reinforcements, and he along with Sea Clubber Bear, Magnus Bear, Valentino Bear, Nursie Bear, Vladimir Bear, and Psycho Bear had all found some deep craters and parked their skidplates in them. The Autobots were close enough now that he could see them for what they really were, and he could also see they were coming head-on for him. He hefted his weapon in hand, and waited for his former comrades to get what was coming to them as the first, short volley of fire was exchanged between his seekers and the Autobot flyers.

The reason why the exchange of fire between the seekers and the Autobot flyers was so short is because it only lasted for one volley. Sharpwing, at the head of the pack, lined up so that he would pass directly in between Coco Bear and Jeckyl Bear. He corkscrewed to evade their opening potshots, then the leading edge of his wings folded up, then out and charged with energy as he passed right in between the two of them, his charged wings cutting through them both like butter as he passed through them. Audited Racer's quad blaster cannon array reduced Brutal Murder Bear into atoms with one volley, and Fritz Bear and Dark Vibe Bear simply were outnumbered and had more fire hitting them than hit their enemies. Both of them quickly descended towards the ground, looking more like giant pieces of Swiss cheese than Transformers. And so, the ground-pounders led by Armourhide and Optimal Retaliation in their mad charge were allowed to progress to the line unharmed.

Colt Bear's optics twitched as he watched his fellow Bears get decimated, and he realized that the reinforcements were not going to get here soon enough as he watched the Autobot flyers flash past overhead, their engines screaming in the dark star filled sky, and dust along with smoke blinding him as they were blown into his optics and air filters, making him gag momentarily. When the smoke cleared and he stood up out of his crater to try and pick a target for his razor-tipped wing swords, all he saw was the glare of reflected starlight off of an Autobot bumper before it hit…

"Oh, look… a speed bump." Speed Railer muttered as Optimal Retaliation ran down Colt Bear, crushing him under the weight of himself and his cargo. The poor traitor never had a chance. And as they passed overhead, Centbot noted with some sense satisfaction that the Bears had been reduced to smoking remnants of their former selves. The Slagmakers and the Assaultbots now moved on to engage the Decepticon reinforcements, you know, the ones that actually had some kind of power on a battlefield and didn't sell out their comrades to join the side that they though was more powerful. He opened up a channel to both Sharpwing and Armourhide.

"Thanks you guys." He said simply and with sincerity.

"Think nothing of it Centbot." Sharpwing said.

"Ditto for me, though I'd just like to add good luck and kick some Con keister!" Armourhide shouted jubilantly over the channel, and Centbot smiled as he cut it off.

"I always do." Centbot muttered as he looked ahead to the open sky Audited Racer was burning through on his way to Polyhex. They'd made it through the Decepticon lines relatively intact, but now the real work began. By the time the Decepticons figured out what really happened at Outpost 15 and came looking for the Retaliators, they'd already be in Polyhex, hunting the Tripedicus Council.

**Polyhex**

**Lair of the Freaks**

**Present Orn**

Gore smiled as the reports from the Line came in. Exactly as he had been told, a small Autobot force had broken through their lines, and now presumably was on its way to Polyhex is his informant's information was right. It was a strange gambit the Autobots had enacted, but alas, it just meant he'd get to have some fun before the Tripedicus Council was official formed and the Autobots were crushed under the collective might of the Decepticons once and for bloody all.

To be continued…


	4. Cast the Gauntlet

**Polyhex**

**Tripedicus Council Chambers**

**Present Orn**

Gore walked nonchalantly into the chambers of his two fellow members of the Tripedicus Council, a grin quite evident on his faceplate. At least it was evident to Decatron and Galvatron Prime, Gore was too preoccupied with scheming to notice his expression as he walked into the chamber. Decatron, the highest of the three Decepticons present in the Chambers, turned to Gore. "So, Gore… is everything going as planned?" He asked without preamble, and the query broke Gore out of his reverie. He looked up at Decatron and started yakking.

"In Iacon, preparations for our final assault go well. But there is one minor detail we didn't anticipate occurring that we'll have to deal with." Gore said simply, to which Decatron said nothing, but Galvatron Prime leaned forward and starting asking a question while Gore climbed into his own seat.

"What, pray tell, is this little detail, Gore? If the Autobots so much as get one whiff of our plot –"Galvatron Prime started, but Gore was quick to cut him off.

"The Autobots have somehow gotten much more than a whiff of our plans, Galvatron. They've somehow found out about this meeting, because an Autobot team is being sent here to Polyhex." Gore snapped at Galvtron Prime quickly, not much in the mood for mindless babbling.

Raising his hand to forego a snap reply from Galvatron Prime, Decatron looked over at Gore. "Why are they coming here?"

Gore offered up the simplest shrug he could. "I don't know, precisely. But it would seem evident that the Autobots know about this meeting, and thus they also know about us. I'm going to assume that they're coming to either spy on us or kill us. Either way they choose, it means we do the same thing."

"Kill them?" Galvatron Prime asked, posing the obvious question running through all of their minds at that moment. Gore and Decatron rolled their optics in unison at the question and pressed on.

"I assume by that smirk that you have a plan for dealing with the intruders, Gore?" Decatron asked, to which Gore's grin grew after reappearing.

"Naturally I have a plan. Just leave it to me my fellow Decepticons. I just need your permission to call back a few units from the front."

Decatron's left optic raised up a bit. "Why, might I ask?"

Gore shook his head. "Just trust me, oh mighty leader."

"Trust? We're Decepticons, we trust no one." Galvatron Prime interjected, voicing what Decatron was thinking, but the leader of the Tripedicus Council ultimately nodded his head in approval, then got up and walked out of the chamber. Galvatron Prime soon followed, leaving Gore to begin executing his plan.

**Suburbs of Polyhex**

**Retaliator Camp**

**Present Orn**

Optimal Retaliation stood silently outside the perimeter of the team's base camp for this operation. A bombed out and deserted building in the heart of one of the suburbs of Polyhex was where the Retaliators were spending the next orn before making the last leg of their journey. Long since abandoned and quite a distance from the direct route of travel between the two ancient cities, the possibility of detection was remote, but Centbot knew well that Optimal Retaliation's last trip out this way had taught him a hard lesson about relying on the odds to keep you safe. As a matter of fact, Optimal Retaliation hadn't said a word since they'd broken out of the Line. Speed Railer had been ordered by the combined authority of Centbot and Accelerate Demon to go nowhere near Optimal Retaliation for the rest of their time here.

When asking why he was forbidden from moving near the Autobot he'd made it his mission in life to force into lightening up a bit, Speed Railer just got a repetition of the order to stay away. Eventually the young Autobot gave up and roamed the camp, trying to find something to amuse himself with. Centbot, meanwhile, had silently followed Optimal Retaliation after said Autobot had left the camp, knowing exactly where he was going. This was the place they met, the place where Optimal Retaliation's life changed forever. And when he caught up to his young friend, he followed Optimal Retaliation's gaze down to the ground, on which laid a single Autobot body. Optimal Retaliation was quite literally looking at his own dead body. It had been abandoned when the Retaliators evacuated the area, having realized that leaving his spark within his old body would kill him.

Centbot approached slowly, and when Optimal Retaliation became aware of him, he didn't bother turning around to face him. He was lost in memories of the past, of his past life as a historian named Optimal, his reconstruction back in Iacon, the decision to change his name to Optimal Retaliation, and his new life as a soldier. He was thinking it over entirely, and Centbot said nothing to disturb him. He took this moment to reflect on his time with Optimal Retaliation, their friendship, and his choice to not tell Optimal Retaliation that Helicon One was alive. He just walked up beside his friend, and joined him in standing there and reflecting in the silence.

Back at the camp, Audited Racer and Accelerate Demon were watching the two distant forms of Optimal Retaliation and Centbot in the distance. They had formed a rapport as of late, being the outsiders of the pack. Audited Racer, for his part, was intensely curious about Centbot in particular, and as the Autobot who's known Centbot the longest, Accelerate Demon was the best 'Bot to ask questions about their leader. Such as the one he was asking right now. "So… what are they doing?"

Accelerate Demon spared a glance in their direction, then turned back to cleaning his lightning rifle. "They're standing in front of Optimal's grave."

"Excuse me?"

Expecting that reaction, Accelerate Demon kept on cleaning his weapon while replying. "Optimal died over there. When we arrived on the scene, his body was too badly damaged for us to keep his spark in there. So it was removed and we left his body behind. Thusly, Optimal died there."

Audited Racer was kind of shocked to hear that. "You just left him here?"

Accelerate Demon finally looked Audited Racer in the optics. "We left his body to save his spark, his essence. When you have twenty Decepticons bearing down on your position, you have to make hard choices."

"I understand that. But they have always taught us to never leave a friend on the battlefield."

"You think we left a friend on the battlefield?"

"Well no, but… couldn't you have just carried the body back?"

Accelerate Demon put down his weapon and sighed as he locked optics with Audited Racer. "You misunderstand me. What I mean is that Optimal Retaliation's body was damaged far beyond our capability to repair it. If we'd relied on his own automated repair systems to sustain his spark, it would have extinguished itself before we'd gotten more than a handful of clicks."

"He was that close to going offline?"

Accelerate Demon nodded. "He was that close." Then the Retaliator's second in command turned back to cleaning his weapon.

Silence descended upon the pair of them for a few astrocycles before the urge to ask questions returned to Audited Racer. "So… what happened over there?"

"Well, I can't say I know all the details," Accelerate Demon said as he put down his weapon after finally cleaning it to his personal satisfaction, "but from what I know Optimal was out here hunting for information on the Matrix."

Audited Racer's optics shot open even wider at the mention of the Matrix. It was long believed to be a myth by all Transformers; however, as was inevitable, there was always those who sought to solve the mystery. To explore the myth and prove it existed. From he'd seen of Optimal Retaliation, he'd never pegged the Autobot as one of those lunatics. "He was a Matrix hunter?"

Accelerate Demon cocked up the rim of his right optic. "Matrix hunter?"

"You know someone who spends their lives devoted to finding the Matrix, believing it and only it can end the war."

The older Autobot laughed. "Oh, not even close, Audited Racer. Optimal thought that the Matrix had a connection to the Black History from what I gather, and he thought there were some old data tracks here that could link the Matrix to the Black History."

"So did he find anything?"

Accelerate Demon looked back out at the distant form of Optimal Retaliation. "If he did, he's apparently going to keep that secret until he's well into his grave. But its likely Deathmaster struck before he'd find anything."

"Who's Deathmaster?"

"Don't you know your military history? Deathmaster was the devious mind behind the attack on the Taragon Lowlands."

Audited Racer now glanced over at Optimal Retaliation as well. "You mean… Deathmaster was the Decepticon who planned the surprise attack on the Lowlands, and you took him out?"

Accelerate Demon shook his head. "We didn't, he did." He said as his chin jutted out to indicate Optimal Retaliation.

Audited Racer was surprised, suddenly discovering newfound respect for Optimal Retaliation. "Whoa."

"No kidding."

**Polyhex**

**Tripedicus Council Chambers**

**Present Orn**

"Of all the spies we have in the Autobot ranks… never would I have imagined one of them would dare impersonate a Decepticon warlord." Gore said simply to his 'guest'. He had kindly flown in all the way from Iacon in order to join him as part of their little deal and so far he was impressed with this spy's performance. So far, he'd managed to guess the Retaliator's moves to a 'T'. A definite strategist, this sly Autobot was. But there was still the matter of this Autobrat's gall in impersonating one of his old rivals. True they weren't friends, but he'd slag any Autobot daring to impersonate a Decepticon. The spy just chuckled after Gore finished talking.

"Gore, Gore, Gore… I see you're still as slow as ever. I'm not impersonating Deathmaster. I _am_ Deathmaster, or at least what's left of him."

"I'd watch it if I were you, Autoboob. Even with the meager scanning abilities of my optics, I can tell that your spark isn't a Decepticon one. And I know for a fact that Deathmaster's spark was that of a Decepticon."

The spy confidently approached Gore in his chair without a second thought, something that no one Autobot or Decepticon ever dared attempt without permission. At least not if they valued their lives. When we was a short distance away, the spy tossed Gore a small data recorder which Gore subsequently snatched from the air and held up in front of him. "Scan it." He demanded.

"Excuse me?"

"I said scan it, and see for yourself that I'm not lying about my identity."

"And what is this supposed to be?" Gore asked, his optics flashing a violet color as he scanned the information on the recorder. His expression was one of annoyed curiosity as he reviewed the files.

"It is how I've survived my own destruction." The spy said, allowing himself a small grin as Gore's expression turned from annoyed curiosity to utter shock.

"Not possible…" Was all Gore could say as the spy walked right up in front of his, plucked the recorder from his hand, and then stepped back. He felt a swell of pity for Gore and his limited ability to comprehend the fact that where science was involved, nothing was impossible.

"It is possible my old rival. I'm back from the dead, and in possession of the last thing the Autobots would expect – one of their own."

Gore nodded, still trying to adjust to the shock of a Decepticon warlord living in an Autobot's spark… especially such a short one. "So then what do you intend to do now that you're back?"

The spy turned and began to walk out of the Chambers, talking as he went. "_I_ intend to do nothing. It is you who have the arrival of the Retaliators to prepare for. Keep your Tripedicus Council and your hordes of dead Autobots, Gore. I have my own business to attend to now." Then the spy was out the door and was gone. After he left, another figure approached Gore from behind.

"Now there's a twist I'd have never believed if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes." Galvatron Prime said as he walked beside Gore, who was still staring at the door the spy had exited through. "So what now?"

Gore took a very long time to say anything. But, eventually, he managed to make a simple reply. "We crush some Autobots. Let Deathmaster do what he wants, we have to make sure those Autobots do not leave Polyhex intact."

**Polyhex**

**En Route to the Tripedicus Council Chambers**

**Present Orn**

Optimal Retaliation was at the head of the pack, double-barreled plasma shell shotgun out, loaded, and scanning the local area for any signs of Decepticon activity. Behind him were Centbot and Minicannoner, each taking flanking positions behind him. The rest of the Retaliators were spread out in a staggered line formation. They were in robot mode, all of them, as traveling in vehicle modes would generate a visible dust cloud and have drawn too much attention. This slowed their rate of advance considerably, but then again, they only had a few more clicks to cover.

A thermal signature flashed by Optimal Retaliation's line of sight on his right, and he immediately turned in that direction and trained his weapon. He saw nothing but the side of a small building; however, switching to thermal sensors, he could see a thermal trace coming from the wall. Given there was no active power source coming from the building, something had to be behind it. He signaled the other Retaliators by hand, letting them know he was checking it out and that someone should cover him. Minicannoner took care of the covering, while he moved forwards. Quickly, he jogged his way up a flight of stairs to the ground level of the building, and then peeked inside the windows. That was when he saw a flash of movement, and without thinking his shotgun leveled at its target and fired.

Optimal Retaliation's shot blew through the front of the building and tore just shy of its target, a small Decepticon that was trying to run away. He rammed his shoulder through the doors and ran after his prey, but he would never catch up to his quarry and he knew it. He rounded a corner, and then he saw an opportunity to end this chase. The Decepticon had run down a long twisting corridor, which twisted in a series of S-curves. Just ahead of his quarry, however, was a rusted and decaying ventilation pipeline. Lifting the barrel of his shotgun up to aim at its supports, Optimal Retaliation fired a single round. The plasma shell ripped through the rusted metal like it never existed, and the pipeline broke off its hinges and swung downwards right into the Decepticon's face. The blow lifted the small Decepticon off of its feet to land not so gently on its back.

Optimal Retaliation warily pointed his shotgun at the Decepticon, anticipating an attempt to attack. It was a good thing he was anticipating an attack too, because that's exactly what he got. The Decepticon looked over at Optimal Retaliation, and it was then that Optimal noticed that it wasn't a Decepticon, it was an Autobot. Further, the Autobot was grinning at him. "I knew it. I knew it was you Optimal. It's been a long time since we've seen one another. Sadly though, I've got to run. And fret not, I won't tell anybody you're here." The Autobot then raised its left arm, allowing the large covering on its forearm to lift up and reveal a pair of missiles, one of which fired. Optimal Retaliation hit the deck, letting the missile slam into the roof of the corridor, the explosion blinding Optimal Retaliation for a moment. When the smoke cleared, Optimal Retaliation looked over and saw the mystery Autobot was gone.

"Optimal Retaliation, you okay?" Minicannoner asked as he bolted down the hallway. Optimal Retaliation tried running another thermal scan, but the signature and the Autobot were gone.

"Did you see him?"

Minicannoner's optics did a quick scan of the local area before fixing back on Optimal again. "See who?"

"The Autobot!" Optimal Retaliation roared as he stood himself up. He growled as Minicannoner just shook his head.

"Optimal, we're the only Autobots in Polyhex."

Optimal Retaliation sighed, and then began walking back to the others. "No we're not. How else do you think that hole got into the ceiling?"

Minicannoner had no explanation, so he just switched subjects. "Do you think we're compromised?"

Now it was Optimal Retaliation's turn to shake his head. "No… whatever he was, he seems to be on a scouting mission. And not for the Decepticons but rather for himself." Afterwards, the two Autobots quietly exited the building and moved back to the waiting Autobot Retaliators and Centbot. After being told of the encounter, Centbot got the team moving again. This time, they moved at a quicker pace.

**Polyhex**

**Tripedicus Council Chambers**

**Present Orn**

Decatron, Gore, Galvatron Prime. Three Decepticon warlords, united together to forge an alliance to finally accomplish victory over their Autobot enemies. Their Chambers were an amazingly simple affair. Three thrones, each positioned on a raised dais with the tallest one in the center belonging to Decatron, the leader of the Tripedicus Council. The entire room was circular, with four doors on the perimeter. The enter room was made of metal, colored a nice and dark violet hue. All three members of the Council were outfitted with full dress regalia, as befitted a political assemblage like this one. It was a grand display of Decepticon might, to be shown to the entire planet. Eventually anyway, but for now, the three of them were clustered together over a console in the center of the room, which displayed a sensor grid of the area surrounding the Council complex. Nearly a dozen blue dots representing the Retaliators were approaching slowly, but surely. And at least four times that number of red dots representing Decepticons was even now moving to surround the incoming Autobots.

Decatron looked over at Gore. "This had better work."

Gore just shrugged. "That transmission they sent allowed us to locate and track them. There's no way they're getting out of this."

**Polyhex**

**Outside of the Tripedicus Council Chambers**

**Present Orn**

It was annoying slow he had to admit. Centbot never liked things that took forever to do, but sneaking into the enemy's nerve center to assassinate their leadership required stealth, which took a long time. But still, he had been uneasy since Optimal Retaliation's encounter with the rouge Autobot. He'd made a call back to Iacon to make arrangements for some support, but he'd gotten back some rather unnerving information. Helicon One was nowhere to be found, she'd managed to give Armourhide and Sharpwing the slip back in Iacon, and she fit the description of the Autobot Optimal Retaliation said he saw back in that building. This meant that if she was a traitor, their entire mission could be compromised.

"There it is!" Hissed Auto Ticketer over a low-power comlink. He was moving towards a computer access terminal, one of several sub junctions that had direct links to the Council Chamber's mainframe.

"Good." Centbot said quickly over the same frequency. "Get into their system, everyone else, take defensive positions. This is it, Autobots."

The other members of the Autobot Retaliators spread out, finding positions of good cover. The Decepticon sentries in the Chambers could not see past the entryways, so for now Centbot hoped they were out of sight. Of course, this was all a setup, then such would be a moot point. He'd just have to pray and trust in the capabilities of himself and his team. It was time to show what this old war horse can do…

**Polyhex**

**Tripedicus Council Chambers**

**Present Orn**

Galvatron Prime looked over at Gore. "They're accessing the mainframe."

Decatron finally began to get anxious. "Gore?"

For his part, Gore was intently studying the readouts. The Retaliators were still in an open clearing, and the firepower of Centbot alone would wipe out their attack force in an open range. For now, they had to wait until the Retaliators made their move. "Not yet. Let's wait and see what they do." Gore gestured off-handedly behind him. "Bluevolt, do your thing."

Another Decepticon by one of the door and his three comrades snapped into a salute at Gore's order, and then quickly exited the room.

**Polyhex**

**Outside of the Tripedicus Council Chambers**

**Present Orn**

"I'm in." Auto Ticketer said quietly as he accessed the Decepticon mainframe computer system. "What do you want to know?"

Centbot pondered that for a moment. "Give me the usual."

Auto Ticketer nodded, and after a few moments, he came back with the requested information. "Security is way the heck lighter than it's supposed to be, Centbot. Apparently more than half of the security force was sent out to investigate Optimal's little scuffle earlier. We should be able to go straight through the front gates."

Centbot waited for Auto Ticketer to go on. Eventually, the young Autobot got the hint that going through the front gates wasn't an option. "Okay then, alternate routes… let's see here…" A few more cycles of silence followed. "Bingo! Alright, Centbot, you wanted a way in, I got one for you. There's an unused lift shaft on the southern end of the complex, it leads up to the level of the Tripedicus Council chambers… hold on."

"What is it?" Centbot asked.

"Cent… I'm picking up a transmission coming from the Council Chambers." Auto Ticketer slammed a few more keys on the computer terminal in front of him that he'd hooked to the Decepticon sub terminal. "Looks like they're setting up for a live broadcast within the next breem. But what for?"

"Attack orders." Optimal Retaliation stated glumly, and Centbot nodded his head in agreement.

"Alright 'Bots, waiting time is over. We have to go in right now and stop that attack order from being given. Audited Racer, you'll go in with Auto Ticketer, Aeroscream, Retaliatory Aider, Minicannoner, and Auto Speeddemon through the front gates. Hit 'em hard and fast, then draw them OUT of the complex." Centbot said quickly, and he waited until Audited Racer said he understood his orders before moving on. "Optimal Retaliation, Accelerate Demon, and Speed Railer; you're with me. We're going in to meet this Tripedicus Council face-to-face. Understood?" There was a series of nods all around his team, and Centbot took a moment to settle down his capacitors, which were getting a bit excited. "Alright then, you have your orders. Let's do it, and good luck."

With that order, the Autobot Retaliators split up into two groups, both circling around the cylindrical Council Chamber building in different directions on their way to their objectives.

**Polyhex**

**Inside the Tripedicus Council Chambers**

**Present Orn**

The building shook with the fury of the first assault, and immediately four red dots blanked off the screen Decatron was looking at. He looked over at Gore, who was grinning with gleeful anticipation. "Shall we?"

Gore looked over at his fellow Council members. "By all means, my fellow 'Cons, let's kill them all."

On the sensor display, all forty plus red dots on the map converged on the less than a dozen blue dots which represented the Autobots… and were soon joined by more waves of Decepticons.

**Polyhex **

**Outside the Tripedicus Council Chambers**

**Present Orn**

Audited Racer roared as both of his quad blaster cannons came to life. A quartet of running seekers caught the full fury of his assault, cut down before they could gain the presence of mind to seek cover. A couple of bulkier Decepticons who clearly had tank alt. modes were the next to try and rush the Retaliators in the main lobby of the Council Chambers as they pulled back out of it. Naturally, Audited Racer's quad blaster cannons sang their deadly song and spit their deadly energy bolts at the Decepticons, but their thicker armor proved capable of withstanding their assault. What their armor couldn't withstand, however, was Minicannoner's sniper rifle. With such precise aiming that befit his formidable build up prior to his selection as a member of the team, he fired one round into each of the kneecaps of the Decepticons in sequence from left to right. With their legs cut out from under them, all three Decepticons fell flat on their faces, giving the Retaliators the opening they needed to escape.

More Decepticons piled into the room, but Audited Racer paid their fire little heed. Getting out was more important to him than ducking fire. And taking a quick glance behind him before shifting his fire to suppress a group of advancing Decepticons who'd just arrived, he noticed a horde of Decepticons piling into the main corridor. "Auto Ticketer, secure our escape route!" He shouted of the roar of combined weapons fire from both the Autobots and the Decepticons.

Auto Ticketer, meanwhile, heard and obeyed the order. He fired off another pair of shells from the turret-mounted gun on his back, dropping a seeker into stasis lock. He then transformed into vehicle mode, and raced around the lobby so that his front bumper was lined up with the doorway out of the lobby and the Decepticon hordes pouring through it. "Here we go." He said to himself nervously as with the sound of squealing tired accompanied by the sound of his turret-mounted gun firing off a salvo of shots into the mass of Decepticons in front of him, he burned rubber and made his way to the doorway at reckless speed. As a result, every last Decepticon before him was either shot down or ran down. Either way, in Auto Ticker's wake was a path of devastation, and behind him, Aeroscream and Auto Speddemon were already running out of the building, firing back into the lobby as they went.

Audited Racer and Minicannoner tried to follow, but as the larger Autobot turned to bend over and fit through the tunnel for his escape he took a plasma mortar shell to the right leg. The shot boiled away armor right down to the frame, and he dropped to the ground hard. In retaliation, his quad blaster cannon gave that Decepticon a faceful of energy that decapitated him and let his lifeless body hit the deck hard. Minicannoner slowly backed towards Audited Racer's position, his sniper rifle having lethal aim as everywhere it pointed Decepticons went down. "Are you okay?" Minicannoner shouted over the din of so much weapons fire.

"My right leg's totaled!" Audited Racer shouted in frustration, rolling over and giving the Decepticons some more blaster bolts from his dual quad cannons. It would seem that in the space of a few breems, the Decepticons had managed to amass quite a few troops to defend this place. It was indeed a trap.

"Can you transform?" Minicannoner asked, his aim switching to a Decepticon motorcycle, who tried to speed around to the rear of the Autobots and shoot them from the back. Minicannoner's shot nailed the 'Con in the cranial unit, allowing the Decepticon to plow into and through the doorway.

"I think so!" Audited Racer shouted back to Minicannoner, and tried to transform. Much to his eternal relief, he was able to despite the bum leg. Thankfully, the thruster in that leg was still functional, and so Audited Racer was able to get airborne. His quad blaster cannon array pummeled various Decepticons as they pivoted around in a full 180-degree arc, forcing most of them to seek cover and thus not shoot Minicannoner as he transformers and got the heck out of there. It wasn't an astrocycle later that Audited Racer burst through the doorway, crumpling the metal as he passed through the wall and into open sky. And it was there he saw the full scope of Gore's trap.

**Polyhex**

**Interior level of the Council Chambers**

**Present Orn**

Centbot was the first out of the lift shaft and onto the floor leading to the entrances for the Tripedicus Council chambers. He wasn't very surprised to see a pair of guards waiting for him. After eliminating them with a burst from both of his plasma shell machineguns, he waved the others through into the corridor. Accelerate Demon, Speed Railer, and Optimal Retaliation all filed through in good order. They each took position around one of the doors leading into the Chamber, readied weapons, than on a count of three, stormed into the chamber, weapons drawn and ready.

**Polyhex**

**Interior of the Tripedicus Council Chamber**

**Present Orn**

"Well, well, well. Ain't this a surprise?" Gore said with a smirk as he and he alone stood in the center of the room, with four Autobots surrounding him. Centbot approached him carefully.

"How'd I know you'd be on this damned Tripedicus Council?" Centbot asked with clear sarcasm.

"Gee… I don't know. Maybe your CPU booted up at long last. But, sadly it's time for you to die now Centbot."

Centbot glanced about the room, and seeing no one but Gore in the room, he laughed. "You're alone Gore. You couldn't harm a protoform."

Gore's sly grin didn't falter in the slightest. In fact it grew. "Really?" He asked as a trio of red dots appeared on Centbot's chest, and then there was no further warning. A trio of plasma mortars slammed into Centbot's torso and exploded. The explosion lifted Centbot off of his feet and shot him back several meters towards the doorway he'd entered from. For any other Autobot, that blow would have been fatal, but thankfully for Centbot his ablative armor dispersed enough of the heat so that he avoided critical damage. Reacting instinctively, Optimal Retaliation, Speed Railer, and Accelerate Demon leveled off their weapons and fired. Sadly, their fire hit Gore's frontal enemy shield.

"Whoops on you." Gore said with a smirk as he dropped his shield and aimed his photon cannons at Speed Railer and Accelerate Demon. Both Autobots ran in opposite directions, forcing Gore to pick a target for his cannons. He chose Speed Railer, but the little Autobot transformed and drove under the fire. Trying to take advantage of this opportunity, Optimal Retaliation cocked a new pair of round into his shotgun and aimed at Gore's unprotected backside, but then something rammed into him from behind. His shot fired off into the wall, and Optimal Retaliation tried to pick himself off of the ground, but the Decepticon who'd previously knocked him down was already on him again. The Decepticon grabbed Optimal Retaliation by his cranial unit and lifted him into the air, then promptly sucker punched him in the gut, sending him sprawling.

Speed Railer, meanwhile, tried to turn around and ram Gore's legs to knock him down, however, as he came around another plasma mortar shell lanced out, this time blowing out Speed Railer's rear right tire and damaging his entire right flank in addition to toppling him over. Accelerate Demon tried to hit Gore a few more times with his lightning rifle, but each time he tried Gore would erect his shield to block the shot. Then, however, two more Decepticons landed between Gore and Accelerate Demon, blocking his view of the Decepticon warlord. The two Decepticons, one obviously a femme and the male Decepticon much larger than Accelerate Demon was and built like a tank, charged him. His lightning rifle spat out energy at his foes, but they nimbly sidestepped his attacks and double teamed him.

The larger Decepticon came right on in, aiming a punch at Accelerate Demon's head. He ducked that, then dove over and attempted sweep kick by the femme. He rolled back onto his feet just in time to be grabbed by the male Decepticon, who held him in place with his weapon pinned against his chest while the femme pointed her weapon at Accelerate Demon's cranial unit. She turned to his comrade. "What do you think, Harritron? Should we put him out of his misery?"

Harritron thought that over for a moment. "Why yes, Widowspider. That's an excellent idea. This little Autoboob should be lucky he gets to meet his fate like this." He said, and Widowspider gave Accelerate Demon a little kiss on the cheek before she got shot. There was the blessed sound of thunder as Speed Railer's lightning rifle fired, the bolt catching Widowspider right in the chest and dropping her. Surprised, Harritron momentarily forgot about Accelerate Demon, letting his grip go slack. Knowing that he'd never get another opportunity like this one, Accelerate Demon placed his lightning rifle right up against Harritron's chest and pulled the trigger. The energy coursing through his circuits forced Harritron to release Accelerate Demon, who dropped to the deck while Harritron himself hit the deck hard on his back.

Whooping in relief, Accelerate Demon gave Speed Railer a thumbs up as he moved over to him. "You ok?" He asked Speed Railer, who wasn't getting off the floor.

"I'm immobile in my right side, Accelerate Demon." Speed Railer said, his voice worried. Accelerate Demon couldn't blame him for being worried. It was pretty clear to him by now that this whole thing was apparently a setup. But if Speed Railer was out of commission, then he had to get him out of here.

"Come on, we're leaving." He said as he moved to pick up Speed Railer.

"Wait a breem here." Speed Railer said as Accelerate Demon began to get him on his feet. "What about Centbot and Optimal?"

Accelerate Demon spared a glance at the other two Autobots. Centbot was still slumped unmoving on the floor, with Gore advancing on him slowly. Optimal Retaliation was currently engaged in a fist fight with a massively built Decepticon, and it was doubtful he'd be able to break away from the engagement. He looked back to his team mate. "We can't help them ourselves, we have to get the others first, _and then_ we can come back."

Speed Railer reluctantly nodded his head and helped Accelerate Demon get him onto his feet. Then together the two Autobots headed out of the room as fast as they were able to.

Optimal Retaliation swore as the burly Decepticon he was facing swung another axe handle blow down upon his head. He stepped off to the right and let the Decepticon overextend himself. Afterwards, he spun around on his right leg and gave the Decepticon the most powerful roundhouse kick he could manage. The Decepticon went down for a moment, but it wasn't long before it swept his legs out from under him. After the sweep, Optimal Retaliation lost his grip on his shotgun and it went flying. Much to his irritation, this Decepticon just would not give Optimal a moment to recover, as he quickly rolled on top of Optimal and rained down blows upon the fallen Autobot with his fists. "Knock it off!" Optimal shouted as he grabbed each of the Decepticon's arms in sequence, and then kicked his legs up, hitting the Decepticon on the small of his back and rolling him forward off of Optimal Retaliation and onto his back.

They both rolled to their feet and stared at one another for a moment. "And who the slagging heck are you?" Optimal Retaliation demanded.

"Bluevolt." Was the Decepticon's simple response before he charged again, roaring as he came. He punched both of his fists forward, and Optimal took both of his enemy's fists in his hands, trying to grapple with him. But Bluevolt's physical power was amazing, and he just rammed into Optimal Retaliation and carried him through a doorway and back into a corridor. Bluevolt repeatedly slammed Optimal into the corridor wall, quickly denting its once pristine surface. Once the wall had a big enough dent in it and Optimal was sufficiently dazed, Bluevolt pulled him from the wall and bodily tossed him down the corridor. It would be several meters before Optimal Retaliation came to a crashing stop against a wall.

The dazed Autobot tried to stand again, but his balancing gyros were unstable, and he couldn't manage to stand until they stabilized again. Meanwhile he looked on as Bluevolt walked forward, vibro-axe in hand and ready for the killing blow. "Goodbye." Those were Bluevolt's final words before his vibro-axe was raised above his head… and his back erupted in flames. The rocket that struck him dead-on in the back lifted him into the air and dumped the dead Decepticon on top of Optimal Retaliation. Swearing again, Optimal rolled Bluevolt off of him, and then looked at his would-be savior, only to see the Autobot he'd met earlier. The spy, the Decepticon warlord impossibly returned from the dead, a face that Optimal recognized now that he could see it plainly.

"Helicon One?"

Gore laughed despite the carnage going on all around him. Outside the Chambers the Retaliators were fighting a pitched battle against quite overwhelming numbers of Decepticons. Inside, Optimal Retaliation was soon to face a whole different sort of fight; Accelerate Demon would have to pick his way through the Decepticon soldiers littered through out the complex to get Speed Railer somewhere safe and Centbot… well… Centbot was dead. Gore intended to see to that personally as he walked slowly toward the damaged Autobot. When finally he stood over Centbot, he reached down and brought Centbot up to eye level so they could lock optics. He was gifted when Centbot's optics lit up and they actually did lock optics.

"You know, Centbot. I'm kind of disappointed in you. I mean, of the very long list of your faults, I never guessed you were so inept as a commander that you'd accept a suicide mission. And this time, you're really going to die. What a pity." Gore said with a most sincere grin on his face.

"Gore…" Centbot said as his right fist tightened, then glowed a scarlet color.

"Yes, Cent?"

"I hate you." Centbot snarled as his right fist came up hard and fast, slamming into Gore's face as hard as he could manage. Sadly though, Centbot's blow was aimed high, and so he missed Gore's optics, but the blow still shocked Gore and knocked him back a few paces. Centbot dropped to the ground and scooped up his plasma shell machineguns. Gore saw this and reacted immediately as both machineguns leveled themselves at Gore's torso and opened up. Gore's shield went up, and deflected the fire. Naturally, though, Centbot was stubborn, and his machineguns continued to hammer away until finally Gore's shield went down.

You'd think that the fall of Gore's shield would be good thing, but Gore used the time it took Centbot to hammer through his shield to charge up the photon cannons on his shoulders. As soon as his shield went down, Gore fired, and Centbot took the hit to the torso. And this time, his ablative armor wasn't enough to protect him. He hit the wall with his internals exposed and his torso armor blackened, but kept on firing. His shots continued until his machineguns ran out of ammo, and Gore's hand-held weapon was slagged and his photon cannons damaged by the fire. When the assault ended and Centbot discarded his weapons and stood up, Gore just glared at Centbot. Then, as if by unspoken agreement, both of them rushed one another and the fist fight began in earnest.

"This is impossible… you're dead." Optimal Retaliation said with utter disbelief as he shakily got himself standing again. Helicon One, however, was completely serious in her expression and posture. Her intent clearly spelled out by the rocket launcher that had remained aimed at Optimal's chest this entire time.

"Not quite dead, Optimal. I got help, help you apparently weren't willing to give me considering that you left me behind." Helicon One said, for the first time showing real emotion, and that emotion was pain and anger. Rage. All focused at him.

"What are you talking about? I didn't leave you behind… I saw your spark chamber get hit…" Optimal Retaliation stammered as he tried to fumble for words. Then, however, he was alleviated from the need for words by a change in Helicon One's voice. It was no longer her own, but a new, male, and hauntingly familiar voice.

"Come now, Optimal Retaliation. You know as well as I do that death isn't permanent. You're living proof of that with your rebuilt and far more powerful body. It's a shame really. All that enjoyment I had in tearing apart your old body… then you go and get a new one." Deathmaster said as he took over Helicon One for the time being. As he spoke, an enegro katana appeared in Helicon One's hands, which he gave a couple of practice whirls. But that mattered not to Optimal Retaliation; the voice was all that mattered.

"You… you spawn of Unicron!" Optimal Retaliation shouted at Deathmaster, who just laughed.

"Spawn of Unicron? Come now, is that the best you can come up with?"

Optimal Retaliation took a few unsteady steps towards his old enemy, his own breed of rage now giving him strength and purpose. "What did you do to her?"

If the sight of a well and truly ticked Optimal Retaliation scared Deathmaster in the slightest, he was remarkably good at hiding it. "I did nothing but give her the ability to get her revenge after you betrayed her."

"I betrayed no one!" Optimal Retaliation shouted, the last shred of his self-control having left him and being in his own form of rage, Optimal pulled back his right fist and set a right hook in Deathmaster's direction. The smaller Transformer simply bent under the blow, and then elbowed Optimal in the waist. The Autobot doubled over and fell to his knees, and Deathmaster came up right behind Optimal, taunting him on. Deathmaster stepped back a bit as Optimal Retaliation got up again and charged. Deathmaster was grinning, and all Optimal Retaliation could find himself thinking about was wiping that grin off of his enemy's face. He ran forwards and tried a jab with his left fist, but Deathmaster simply dropped to one knee below Optimal's outstretched fist and jabbed his enegro saber clean through the Autobot's torso.

Three different personalities had three different reactions to one event. One was shocked, another was pleased, and a third was remorseful and in unfathomable pain as Deathmaster withdrew his saber from Optimal Retaliation's chest, and let the Autobot fall to the ground lifelessly.

Centbot wasn't having a better time of it either. He was now running for his life as Gore had transformed into his tank alt. mode, determined to run Centbot down. The Autobot managed to gain a good meter on Gore, but the Decepticon was simply relentless. Finally getting an idea, Centbot broke out into a straight dead run, and naturally Gore pursued. Then, after a few astrocycles, Centbot spun around 180-degrees so that he faced Gore, then he ran _at_ the Decepticon. He balled both of his fists and let them charge with energy so that when he jumped on top of Gore and slammed his charged fists into the sensor unit that looked like his tank alt. mode's cockpit, they easily melted through the armor protecting it and crushed its delicate internal circuitry.

Gore roared and swerved violently, throwing Centbot off of him. This also allowed the side horn on Gore's flanks in vehicle mode to slice into Centbot's armor, splitting open and revealing a small view of the Autobot commander's spark chamber. He rolled to a stop next to the fallen Harritron. Gore, for his part, lazily rolled around to face Centbot, who was lying on the ground reaching over towards Widowspider and transformed into robot mode. Gore's cannons twitched as they worked to lock onto Centbot. "Well then, Centbot… this has been fun… but it ends here." Gore's cannons sparked as he charged them to their maximum potential.

Centbot, meanwhile, had finished unlocking Widowspider's cannon from her arm. "You know what, Gore? I'm disappointed."

"And why is that?"

Centbot laughed. "Because I thought you'd know better than to think you'd ever win." He rolled over, allowing Gore to see Centbot's stolen cannon. The fusion weapon was already charged, and Centbot pulled the trigger. Reacting instinctively, Gore fired as well, and three high-energy weapons fired off at the same time, with three successful hits. There was a moderate explosion from the discharge of Widowspider's stolen weapon after the anti-matter charge in the weapon was exposed to the photon charge from Gore's cannons, and when the dust cleared… all was silent between the two.

**Polyhex**

**Outside of Tripedicus Council Chambers**

**Present Orn**

Audited Racer was pissed. There was words greater in scope that would better describe the extent of his anger, but pissed carried a unique tone to it that suited his current mood best. There were swarms of Decepticon seekers all around him, dozens or perhaps even more than that. The numbers were insane, and so was the evasive maneuver he was forced to pull to stay intact. And it wasn't just him either. All of the Retaliators were dodging like mad, firing back occasionally, but mostly ducking under whatever cover would withstand the fury of so many Decepticon weapons. They were surrounded, outgunned, and Audited Racer was certain their time was up. He was quite a distance away from the Council Chambers, pulling up hard and entering a corkscrew maneuver as he pulled back in an Immelmann turn. The fire from a pair of pursing seekers swirled around him, but thankfully none hit him this time around.

"Clean my back I clean yours!" Aeroscream yelled to Audited Racer as he swung around in front and below the larger Autobot. On Aeroscream's tail was a half dozen seekers, who were trying to box him in with their fire. "You've got it!" Audited Racer shouted back as he leveled out and got target locks on the Decepticons. Aeroscream's two laser cannon barrels sparked as he prepared to fire on his targets, and then it all happened. Aeroscream claimed the first kills, the narrow laser beams erupting from his cannons having cut the two seekers pursuing Audited Racer in half. Audited Racer's quad blaster cannons swiveled on their mounts and turned his first pair of targets into Swiss cheese. His second group of targets lost their wings, and quickly spiraled down to explosive demises on the ground below. The last pair of seekers peeled off of Aeroscream, and another quartet of seeks vectored towards the Autobot flyers.

"Where's that fire support!" Minicannoner demanded over the comlink, and Audited Racer swore and veered around quickly to head back to his friend's position. The tiny Autobot was completely surrounded alongside Auto Ticketer and Auto Speeddemon with a desperate exchange of fire hitting both sides of the engagement. "It's coming, hold on!" He yelled as his thrusters screamed and he accelerated, swooping down on the Decepticons surrounding Minicannoner and his group, quad blaster cannons raining energized destruction on them without mercy. His sweep of the area broke open a hole in the Decepticon line surrounding the wounded Autobots, and taking advantage of the opening, they ran like Hell to a new position. But they were getting pushed farther and farther back from the Council Chambers. They were being pushed farther away from Centbot and the others.

"You think they're still all right?" Auto Speeddemon asked from below, and Audited Racer could think of only one honest reply as he ignored a communication request from what he assumed was a Decepticon trying to ask him for his surrender.

"I hope so."

Another Decepticon came up; another Decepticon fell down from the combined fury of the lightning rifles of both Speed Railer and Accelerate Demon. The two Autobots had been stuck in the corridor outside of the lift tube for a while now, and there were simply too many Decepticons about to move. Especially since Speed Railer had taken another hit, and was unable to walk at all. The Autobots kept a steady vigil on both ends of the corridor, wary of any signs of Decepticon attacks which cropped up occasionally. It was during this vigil that Accelerate Demon picked up a transmission on an Autobot frequency. He turned into the channel and sent out a request for help. Another voice quickly came back over the line. "Thank Prime that you're all still intact. Long range radar was picking up a crapload of Decepticons suddenly heading back to Polyhex and we figured you Retaliators were at the center of it. What's your condition?"

"Bad and getting worse." Accelerate Demon said honestly. "Centbot is down, the Tripedicus Council's existence is confirmed, and I don't know how many causalities the rest of the team has suffered. We need some reinforcements or an evacuation as soon as possible."

"Hmm… so I guess we weren't as far off the mark as we thought. Just hang on, Retaliator; your reinforcements will be there shortly."

"Wait… are you only sending us only one Autobot?" Speed Railer asked worriedly.

"Not exactly, no. However, since Decepticons are likely listening in on our transmission, let's just say that Centbot has managed to recruit the big guns. Hold on guys, help is coming." With that, the voice on the other end of the comlink was gone leaving the two Autobots alone once more. Accelerate Demon looked at Speed Railer, who nodded as if knowing what Accelerate Demon was about to say.

"Even though I know you're going anyway… how do you know they aren't already dead?"

Accelerate Demon didn't really have an answer for that. He just shrugged and put his hands on his friend's shoulder. "Will you be all right?"

Speed Railer scoffed. "Compared to Optimal Retaliation, Decepticon hordes are nothing. I'll be fine. Go get Centbot and Optimal."

Accelerate Demon nodded, and then he stood up and ran down the corridor back to the lift. Once he was back inside of it, he quickly began ascending back up to the Chamber entrance level.

**Polyhex**

**Entrance Level of the Council Chambers**

**Present Orn**

"My only regret is that this wasn't more of an entertaining fight." Deathmaster said sadly as he looked at the prone form of Optimal Retaliation, lying on the ground. His words weren't offered in sarcasm. He meant it. He'd been plotting this moment for a vorn, and now it came so easily it was a definite letdown. There was a large explosion in the Chambers that shook the entire level, but Deathmaster ignored it. He turned to walk away and let Optimal Retaliation lay there when something within him stirred. _We're going to leave him laying there? _Helicon One's voice intruded upon his mind, and Deathmaster was quick to respond.

"My dear Helicon One… you must learn a thing or two about pain and suffering. It's only fitting considering he left you to die." He said to her, turning away from Optimal Retaliation.

_You said his death would be quick; justice for his betrayal would come swift._

"Considering what he did to m-, I mean _us_; his death should be slow and painful. It's the fate he saw fit to inflict upon us."

_No one's death should be so prolonged… I don't want him to suffer. I owe him that._ Helicon One thought at Deathmaster forcefully, straining his patience with his vessel.

"You-"He started to say before he felt the tug of Optimal Retaliation's hand on his right shoulder as the Autobot spun him around so that they were face to face. Once they were, Optimal sent a powerful right jab into his face. Deathmaster stumbled back, and then looked at Optimal Retaliation incredulously.

"Not…" Optimal Retaliation was standing shakily, the large hole in his abdomen sparking as live conduits vented energon into the air and his words emerged with great difficulty. "… As in control of yourself… as you'd thought?" He said, his optics dim, but still possessed of clarity and purpose. It was an impressive testament to the dexterity of this Autobot, and it gave Deathmaster some hope that he'd yet get some amusement from this day.

"Care to try and test how much your former friend wants me to kill you?" Deathmaster said with a smirk, getting his enegro saber in hand and ready for quick activation should it be needed.

For his part, Optimal Retaliation was shaking his head. "I don't want to test you, Deathmaster. I want to kill you." Both Deathmaster and Helicon One were surprised to hear Optimal Retaliation say that, the latter more so than the former. "You've twisted what really happened in that data vault to make her hate me. You used her to pursue your own insane quest for immortality."

Optimal Retaliation was walking slowly towards Deathmaster now, and before he realized it, Deathmaster was taking steps backwards in order to keep the same distance between them. "I didn't use Helicon One, I've helped her."

Optimal Retaliation shook his head, his rage a bit more controlled now. It had diluted into a sort of moral outrage, instead of a blinding torrent of rage that threatened to consume him. As a result, he was able to begin putting the pieces of the puzzle together. "Helped her indeed, after you got her to believe what you needed her to. After you made her believe that I left her behind when my original body that _you_ tore to shreds is still lying in the very spot I fell at. You're not interested in helping her, you're interested in revenge."

"What?" Helicon One asked, temporarily reasserting control of her body, but Deathmaster quickly pushed her presence back and regained control. "Clever little protoform, Optimal. But tell me this: what chance to do think you have against me in your current state?" He asked simply, finally stopping and bringing the hilt of his saber in front of him with a ready stance, its energon-based blade snapping to vibrant life.

Optimal Retaliation stopped just outside of Deathmaster's reach, and then reached down towards his right leg. He pulled out his sole remaining sword that Retaliatory Aider had modified with parts from his sword that had been destroyed while in Centbot's possession back in Iacon. He held the blade out in front of him in a ready stance as well, and then he activated it. The core section of the blade slid upwards, doubling in length until it was nearly as tall as Optimal Retaliation was. Then two small currents of plasma run along both edges of the weapon, forming a brand-spanking new double-bladed sword. "I'd say I have enough of a chance to kill you. Because there's no way I will let you continue to not only twist my friendship with Helicon One into something it wasn't, but also use her as your pawn. If she were really here, I know the Helicon One I knew would rather die than live like this."

Deathmaster's grin vanished and was replaced with a frown. "How sickeningly noble of you." _Wait…_came the silent plea from Helicon One, but Deathmaster wasn't listening. He ran forward at Optimal Retaliation, who back stepped to prepare for the charge. The first blow came from Deathmaster, a straight jab aimed right on for the Autobot's speak chamber. A slight pivot of Optimal's blade to the right knocked Deathmaster's saber up and to the right. Immediately after, he moved his entire body down in a crouch after stepping forward, allowing his right first to get under Deathmaster's chin and send him flying.

"Come on, Deathmaster, is that all you can come up with?" Optimal Retaliation said. His tone suggested he was trying to be sarcastic, but the strain evident in his voice killed the effect. Deathmaster ignored the attempted taunting and stood up again, bringing his saber back up and ready.

"You robbed me of everything I was, Optimal. And now you suffer for that." Another charge came, this time by Optimal Retaliation. Having a longer reach than his opponent, Optimal Retaliation swept his blade in for a slice from the right. The blow was one-handed and an intentional opening for Deathmaster to take, but the ex-Decepticon warlord didn't go for the ruse. Instead he ducked under the slice, then stood up again and hopped backwards, lifting up his right arm and revealing his rocket launchers. That, Optimal clearly hadn't anticipated, and so when the rocket fired all he could do was moving his free arm in the way of the projectile. Losing an arm was better than losing your life, after all.

The detonation of the missile not only blew off Optimal Retaliation's arm, but it also knocked him back a good distance. He hit the ground on his back, skidding back into a wall. Though he was in an even greater deal of pain than before, he managed to climb to his feet again. "You never…" Optimal Retaliation flipped his blade over so that its tip was pointing towards the ground. "…Had anything."

Deathmaster finally got a bit of a rise out of that one. "I had everything until it was stolen from me. You still don't get it, do you? All of this, I helped arrange. I allowed the Tripedicus Council to know of your arrival, I leaked the information to the Council of Primus that the Tripedicus Council was forming." Deathmaster pulled his saber back so that it was level with his left should and pointing towards Optimal Retaliation. Then he moved forwards at a dead run, intending to make his final blow.

"You can't blame me for your own failures!" Optimal Retaliation shouted across the corridor. Deathmaster was in the body of the much quicker and far more nimble Helicon One, so the distance between them was crossed in seconds. Deathmaster, having the shorter reach of the two; attempted to run past and cut down his enemy as he went. Optimal Retaliation however, had a far different plan. He waited until the precise moment that Deathmaster started his swing, and then he dropped into a sweep kick. The Decepticon's legs were knocked out from under him, and as he fell Optimal Retaliation's blade flashed upwards, slicing across the falling Decepticon.

The cry of pain didn't come from Deathmaster, it came from Helicon One. But the cry was ultimately strangled as Deathmaster regained control of her body and stood up. Helicon One's abdomen had been laid bare, exposed and vulnerable to attack. It was a giant weak spot for Deathmaster to take into account when next he attacked. And he did precisely that. "I can blame anyone; _use_ anyone I want to get my revenge!" The Decepticon advanced again, just as fast as last time, but when Optimal Retaliation swung out his blade to meet him halfway, Deathmaster ducked under the swing and got under Optimal's defenses. For a second time Deathmaster ran Optimal Retaliation through the chest with his saber, but there was a slight difference between the two events.

Soon after the saber's tip jutted out from Optimal Retaliation's lower back, his blade sliced upwards, taking Deathmaster's sword arm clean off at the shoulder connection. Again Helicon One screamed, louder this time, and Optimal had slight hesitation at finishing his enemy off. Then however, Deathmaster made a move to grab his saber with his other hand, and Optimal Retaliation backed off. The Decepticon's reach fell short, and Optimal brought his blade down on Deathmaster's torso. A deep diagonal section of armor was burned away, and Deathmaster fell back a step. Deathmaster, suffering the effects of massive internal system damage, found himself unable to focus on his target as he tried to fire off his remaining rocket. "It will not end like this… I will have…"

But before he could aim his launchers, before he could even finish his final words, he heard a single loud voice speak one clear voice. _No_. Was the simple statement by Helicon One and her entire command system froze. Deathmaster literally froze where he was, and Optimal Retaliation took advantage of this, rushing in, and blade at the ready for one final strike. Most would accept their fate at this point, but Deathmaster was not like most sentient life. He intended to live; he intended to reassert his control. He intended to get his revenge. And he'd fail at all three. "Foolish femme! Do you have any idea what you've done?" He shouted at Helicon One as Optimal Retaliation's blade was stabbed forward, heading for Helicon One's spark chamber, where the remnants of Deathmaster's spark that sustained Helicon One's spark were.

_Yes, I have gotten my revenge._ Was Helicon One's reply as Optimal Retaliation's blade ripped through the lower portion of her spark chamber. The flood of energy into her spark made her scream alongside Deathmaster as the two of them got to experience death together. An astrosecond later the scream stopped, Helicon One's optics darkened, and Optimal Retaliation watched as Helicon One lifelessly dropped to her knees and then onto the ground. She didn't move, she didn't twitch, and she didn't do anything.

The enegro saber stuck inside of Optimal Retaliation's torso deactivated, and its hilt fell to the ground. Finally, a combination of exhaustion and battle damage caught up with Optimal Retaliation, and he leaned back against a wall as a support as he looked at what was left of his closest friend. Somewhere he realized he'd just murdered one of the few people he'd ever loved unconditionally, but right now he didn't care about that. In that moment, all that mattered to him was two words: "I'm sorry."

Gore could not have been more humiliated than he was at this very moment. He lay there, on the ground, completely unable to move. Centbot's final shot had pierced his power regulatory system, meaning that his body was unable to send power to anything aside from his cranial unit, which it was directly plugged into. He looked around uselessly for anything other than dead or soon to be dead Transformers that littered the ground around him. Then however, there was the sound of an opening door, and a slightly familiar face appeared above him. And much to his continued humiliation, it leveled the barrel of its lightning rifle at his cranial unit.

Accelerate Demon slowly made his way to the Council Chambers, and when he got to the doorway, he heard an explosion from inside. He tried opening the door, but it was sealed. After a couple cycles of futile efforts to force the door, there was a second explosion, this time from down the hall. He gave up on the door, and got his lightning rifle ready as he charged down the corridor towards the location of the explosion. But the Council Chambers were huge, and even at a full run it took him a bream or two to get there. It was then that he saw Optimal Retaliation slumped against a wall. The Autobot seemed to be almost comatose, staring at a fallen Transformer. Accelerate Demon almost didn't look, but when he did, he saw Helicon One lying on the ground, spark still pulsating, but intermittently. She'd be dead before long.

Accelerate Demon tried to rouse Optimal Retaliation from his stupor, but the damaged Autobot was completely unresponsive. Grimacing, guessing what Optimal Retaliation was likely going through, Accelerate Demon reluctantly left him be and moved to the only open door to the council chamber - the same one Bluevolt had busted down while pummeling Optimal Retaliation. He saw Centbot lying next to that big brute Harritron. His entire body was blackened and burned, and his optics was dark. Accelerate Demon's optics moved over towards Gore, who was lying on the ground. A hole was blown clean through his lower torso, but his optics was active.

He walked over to Gore, planted a foot on his chest, and moved his lightning rifle so that the business end of it hovered mere millimeters above Gore's face. "Well now, this is certainly interesting."

"Go away and have the courtesy to die while doing so." Gore grunted, looking away from Accelerate Demon.

"Gore… call off your lackeys, or I shoot you."

Gore turned his head back to look at Accelerate Demon, although more accurately he was staring down the barrel of Accelerate Demon's lightning rifle. "Shoot me, and your friends die anyway. Or shoot me, someone else takes my place on the Tripedicus Council, and your precious city gets blasted to the slag pits anyway. So go right on ahead and fry me."

"Maybe so, but you'll die too."

Gore laughed. "You say that as if I care."

"Don't you?"

"Not in the slightest."

Decatron and Galvatron Prime were, much like Gore at the moment, very unhappy customers. They were in another building, watching a sensor readout. The readout which now showed one massive blue blimp that registered one very large Autobot presence on the battle. A presence that was wiping out scores of Decepticon blips by the dozen. Galvatron Prime huffed in outrage and looked to Decatron. "When the slagging heck did they start pulling Maximus Prime out of their pockets whenever they needed him?"

Decatron growled. "Does it matter? He's here now."

"No duh! So… what do you intend to do about it?"

"Me? Since whe-"Decatron's rant was aborted when the sensor readout vanished and was replaced with the face of Maximus Prime. While he had no actually mouth to smile with, Decatron could just tell the Autobot was beaming at his successful surprise attack.

"Decatron, old friend. I do believe you and I have something to discus."

"Such as?"

Maximus Prime chuckled. "Your surrender."

**Polyhex**

**Outside of Tripedicus Council Chambers**

**Present Orn**

Minicannoner was about to pick another seeker to clip the wings of as it began a strafing run on his position when said seeker suddenly peeled up and away from his attack run. Audited Racer, who was damaged and lying on the ground beside him next to Speed Railer fired off a few more shots at the retreating Decepticon, but when the battlefield quieted down and the assembled Autobots realized the Decepticons had stopped shooting, they did the same. Speed Railer, who had been dragged over here by Armourhide after the unexpected but much welcome arrival of Maximus Prime and Fortress Maximus, found this a good time to make a smart remark. "Aww… it's over already? It was _just_ getting good."

Never before in his life had Speed Railer been told to shut up by so many Transformers at once.

**Iacon**

**Autobase Medical Bay**

**A Few Orns Later**

"And here Maximus Prime tells _me_ I came back home with too much damage." Centbot said to Optimal Retaliation, who had just awoken from his latest trip into a CR Chamber. His blown off arm had been replaced, and Optimal Retaliation considered himself to be as good as new. Well, almost.

Optimal Retaliation rolled his optics, sighed, and then adopted the closest thing to a grin he could manage. "I lost a limb; you lost nearly everything you had to lose."

"Not true." Centbot said simply.

"Oh?"

"Yep, you're still here." He said with a smirk, and Optimal scoffed. "You did good back there, Optimal. It was a hard thing to do." He said seriously.

"You have no idea."

"Actually, believe it or not, to a certain extent I do."

One of Optimal's optics lifted up. "Oh, you do?"

Centbot nodded. "Yeah, but that's a story for another time. I just wanted to stop in for a moment and make sure you're not still catatonic." Optimal laughed, and Centbot moved for the door.

"Cent?" Optimal Retaliation asked quickly just as the door opened.

"Yeah?" Centbot asked as he turned his head to look back.

"How is she?"

Centbot looked to Retaliatory Aider, who shook his head. Nodding his own head in reply, he said to Optimal their agreed upon cover story. "She's alive." With that, he stepped out the door and was gone. Optimal Retaliation was his second-to-last stop in his trip to check in on his team. Audited Racer was the worst off of the bunch. Decepticon seekers had completely destroyed his leg servos and thrusters. He was currently in the air, trying to get the hang of his new thruster configuration. Speed Railer was pinned to his bunk in the Ward by orders of Retaliatory Aider, who had remarkably managed to come out of the battle with only a few scratches. Aeroscream, Auto Speeddemon, Auto Ticketer, and Minicannoner all came out of the battle with varying degrees of damage, none of it serious. And Accelerate Demon had the dubious honor of being the only team member to come out of the fight without a scratch. From all reports, the Slagmakers had found him standing over Gore, something to which earned him many toasts in his honor when Maximus Prime brought them all back to Iacon.

Speaking of whom, after winding through a few corridors and using a few lift shafts, he'd soon get to where he needed to be so he could meet Maximus Prime to discuss the fate of their newest Autobot.

Ordinarily Autobots did not house medical patients in the brig, but this was one of those rare exceptions to the rule. When Centbot entered the bring chamber, he found Maximus Prime already there, waiting for him. The patient was there too, watching him silently from the moment he entered the room. "You're late Centbot." Maximus Prime stated.

"On the contrary. You're earlier than I expected." Centbot said as he walked up to the Council member. "So… has it chosen a name or even a gender yet?"

"I figured I'd let you handle that." Maximus Prime said with amusement. He quickly stepped back, and Centbot then noticed the new Transformer's optics on him. Flinching slightly, he turned to face it. "Alright… go ahead. Tell us your decision."

It stood up, looking straight at Centbot. "Do you remember your first moment of life?"

Centbot shook his head. "No I don't. Must have got shot in the head one too many times, you know how it goes."

It smiled a bit, and then looked away for a second. "I have two lives, two paths to choose from. Both are radically different from the other on the surface, yet they are still the same. I find it difficult to choose between one or the other."

"Why do you need to choose at all?"

It looked back over to Centbot, and then glanced at Maximus Prime. "Autobots are not very accepting of Decepticon ideals. Decepticon ways of thinking I don't find compatible of the beliefs I hold as an Autobot."

Centbot shook his head. "No, no, no… you misunderstand. I'm saying why do you need to be either a Decepticon or an Autobot? Helicon One and Deathmaster are gone."

"Yet I still feel them as part of me."

"They are part of you. So why then can't you just be a Transformer, as we all are?"

It thought that over for a moment, and then it smiled. "I am… a Transformer. Yes… not just an Autobot or a Decepticon. I mean both yet neither - a Transformer."

Centbot grinned. "A Transformer indeed. So, as a Transformer you need a name. Got any in mind?"

It nodded. "I am Deathcon One."

"Well then, Deathcon One. Welcome to Iacon. I hope you'll find it agreeable here." Centbot nodded to Maximus Prime, he moved to a console and dropped the security field. Now able to step out of its cell, Deathcon One did so, standing in front of Centbot.

"What now?" It asked.

"Now we show you around, and teach you what you've gotten yourself into." Accelerate Demon said as he entered the room. Centbot brought Deathcon One's attention back to him.

"Go with Accelerate Demon over there, and he'll show you around. We'll talk later." With that, Centbot watched Deathcon One be escorted out of the brig by Accelerate Demon, and then he turned to Maximus Prime.

"Well?" Centbot asked.

Maximus Prime headed for the door. "I just hope you know what you've gotten yourself into, Centbot. And Deathcon One for that matter as there's no guarantee it will decide to Autobot."

"And there's no guarantee it will follow a Decepticon lifestyle either. But either way it chooses, it has the right to choose its own way in life."

"And what about Optimal Retaliation?"

"What of him? Optimal Retaliation killed his friend, a regrettable circumstance, but I have a feeling that he'll get over it."

Maximus Prime raised an optic. "With Deathcon One's help, I assume?"

"Why Maximus… there may be hope for you yet."

Maximus Prime just sighed and walked out the door, his final words being uttered just before it closed. "You had better know what you're doing."

After Maximus Prime left and the door closed, Centbot smiled to himself. "Now where's the fun in knowing everything beforehand?" He asked no one in particular as he headed out of the brig as well.

THE END


End file.
